The development of adopted children after institutional care: A follow-up study
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Research suggests that institutional care has long-lasting effects on children. However, no study has longitudinally studied infants in an institution and their subsequent development at age four. METHODS: Sixty-one adopted children aged four years who had spent their first two years of life in an institution were compared to 39 children reared in their own two-parent families. Cognitive development, security of attachment, shyness, children's emotional understanding and behavioural problems were examined in both groups. Parental health and stress were also assessed. RESULTS: At four years adopted children still had lower scores on cognitive development, were less secure, and less able to understand emotions than family-reared children. Children with a secure attachment type in infancy were found to be less secure at age four, compared with those who were classified in infancy as having an insecure attachment type. Their physical development had recovered, they were less shy, had no behavioural problems and no problems in the relationship with their teacher. CONCLUSIONS: Early residential group care has long-lasting effects on important socio-emotional and cognitive aspects of preschool children's development.
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Self-citation
- Authors
- Vorria, P., Papaligoura, Z., Sarafidou, J., Kopakaki, M., Dunn, J., Van IJzendoorn, M. H., & Kontopoulou, A.
- Affiliations
- Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (GR)
- Institute of Child Health (GR)
- Corresponding author
- Vorria, Panayiota
- Venue
- Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2006-11-27
- Volume
- 47
- Issue
- 12
- Pages
- 1246-1253
- ISSN
- 0021-9630 (ISSN-L)
- 1469-7610
- OpenAlex
- W1969713318
- Cited by
- 158
- References
- 39
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 8 · 2019: 11 · 2018: 6 · 2017: 7 · 2016: 1 · 2015: 13 · 2014: 17 · 2013: 8 · 2012: 11
- FWCI
- 23.66
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Research Portal (King's College London) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- Nuffield Foundation
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Safety Research › Child Welfare and Adoption
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Attachment and Relationship Dynamics
- Keywords
- institutional care, adoption, adopted children, cognitive development, attachment security, shyness, emotional understanding, behavioral problems, parental stress, preschool children
- MeSH terms
- Adoption, Child, Child Development, Child, Preschool, Cognition, Female, Follow-Up Studies, Health Status, Humans, Infant, Institutionalization, Language Development, Male, Object Attachment, Parents, Surveys and Questionnaires, Stress, Psychological, Time Factors, Parenting
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