Adopted children’s mental health needs beyond attachment and trauma: A comparison of social work and mental health conceptualisations
Researchers compared 153 consecutive social-worker referral letters with diagnoses following specialist mental-health assessment of adopted children. Assessments commonly identified behavioural and neurodevelopmental conditions. Agreement between referral descriptions and clinical diagnoses was low, suggesting that the two services described children’s difficulties differently.
Limitations: Specialist referred sample, not all adopted children. Evidence comes from records and professional assessments, not adoptees’ accounts. Agreement between assessments does not by itself establish which is correct. The study compares referrals with assessments in a specialist mental-health service for adopted children.
- Research type
- Clinical records comparison
- Source reviewed
- Abstract
- Peer reviewed
- Yes
- Age group
- Mixed
Study context and review
Age group as recorded: mixed
Adoption context: Adoption from care
Programme: National Adoption and Fostering Service clinical assessment studies
Institutional context: Adoption-sector service evaluation
The study compares referrals with assessments in a specialist mental-health service for adopted children.
Relationship identified. Bibliographic relationships are not a bias or safety rating.
Topics: ADHD, attachment, autism, mental health
Review scope: Source checked: Abstract. This does not imply full-text or independent human verification.
Country as recorded: England
- 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_f54ba050481df86e