Poster #39 - Current Life Stress as a Mediator Between Preadoption Adversity and Adoption-Related Stress

• In Event: Poster Session 10

Abstract

As adopted youth grow up, their preadoption experiences may continue to impact their health and adjustment (Gunnar & Reid, 2019). Institutions often provide stressful environments due to overcrowding, insufficient number of staff, and higher risks of malnutrition and abuse. Experiences of early life stress associated with institutional care have been shown to be associated with later life stress in the forms of cognitive and emotional behavioral issues (Hostinar, 2012). Notably, transracially adopted youth may face added stress due to discrimination and other racial issues.

In this study, we investigated the pathways through which adverse preadoption experiences (e.g., physical neglect) may impact previously-institutionalized (PI) adolescent’s post-adoption experiences of school, family, and adoption stress. A total of 134 children adopted from institutions (Previously-institutionalized, PI) and 176 comparison children (Non-Adopted, NA) between the ages of 7- and 15-years served as participants. 78 of the PI youth were transracially adopted. The Youth Life Stress Interview was used to assess current life stress with additional questions in the same style to assess adoption stress. Preadoption risk was measured through parent reports of their child’s experiences in the orphanage (e.g., estimates of abuse and neglect).

Results showed that PI youth had higher levels of family (p = .04, d= .24) and school stress (p < .001, d=.64) compared to NA youth. However, there were no significant group differences between transracially adopted and non-transracially adopted youth on adoption stress (p=.46). Contrary to expectations, non-transracially adopted youth reported the highest level of family and school-related stress compared to transracially and NA youth (ps<.02). A mediation analyses revealed that school stress was a significant pathway through which early physical neglect is associated with later adoption stress (indirect effect estimate= .141, SE = .073, 95% CI [0.025, 0.310]).

These results support the premise that experiences of early deprivation and neglect in institutional care are associated with long-term negative impacts of children’s stress experiences. Results showing higher levels of family and school stress in non-transracially adopted youth may be explained by the white adopted youth being mostly adopted from Russia and Eastern Europe where there have been higher reports of cognitive and behavior issues among PI youth who often lack proper prenatal care (Abrines et al., 2012). It is possible that the higher current-life stress experienced by white adopted youth living with white parents was therefore a reflection of pre-adoption risk. Our mediation results suggest that school-related stress may be an important, understudied pathway between preadoption risk and later reports of adoption stress. These finding provide important insight for understanding the complexity of adoption stress and for developing interventions to assist adoptive parents in supporting their children through their lifelong process of adoption. Specifically, practices that support cultivating and maintaining outside family relationships and support systems for PI youth.

Authors

• Maya Bowen, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
  Presenting Author

• Kalsea J Koss, University of Georgia

• Bonny Donzella, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

• Bao Moua

• Megan R. Gunnar, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities