Children after adoption: Exploring their psychological needs
Researchers assessed children placed for adoption by one UK local authority using parent interviews and questionnaires. Of 106 families approached, partial data were obtained for 47 children; 34 had complete assessment data. In the complete-data group, approximately three quarters met criteria for at least one neurodevelopmental or mental-health diagnosis, and fewer than half of those with a mental-health diagnosis had a previous diagnosis.
Limitations: Evidence came from parents reporting on their children, rather than direct adoptee testimony. Response and complete-data selection, one authority and small numbers limit generalisation; these percentages are not population estimates for all adoptees. Many children had known pre-adoption maltreatment. Parental enjoyment and parent experience are outside this record’s summary.
- Research type
- Clinical questionnaire assessment study
- Source reviewed
- Abstract
- Peer reviewed
- Yes
- Age group
- Children
Study context and review
Age group as recorded: Children
Adoption context: Mixed adoption pathways
Programme: DeJong–Hodges–Malik adopted-child psychological assessment
Institutional context: No relationship identified in the material checked
No adoption-sector organisational relationship identified from metadata reviewed. Funding and conflicts were not comprehensively audited; this is not confirmation of institutional independence.
Bibliographic screening. Bibliographic relationships are not a bias or safety rating.
Topics: mental health, neurodivergence, Parent proxy evidence, post-adoption support
Review scope: Source checked: Abstract. This does not imply full-text or independent human verification.
Country as recorded: United Kingdom
- Funding
- Not yet checked for this entry
- Commissioner
- Not yet checked for this entry
- Funder role
- Not yet checked for this entry
- Declared conflicts
- Not yet checked for this entry
- Recruitment
- Not yet checked for this entry
- Adoptee involvement
- Not yet checked for this entry
Entry: study_9a2578771ac2606a