Adoptive Families and the Common Problems

By Curtis Reed

Unfortunately, for a large number of adoptive parents, their experiences with their adopted children have been devastating due to the lack of critical information and/or training in working with children from abusive, neglectful home environments resulting in attachment disorders. These situations have opened our eyes and minds to the tragic consequences when young children's psychological and emotional needs are not met, creating this failure of attachment.

Adoptive Families and the Common Problems

Attachment parenting is responsive parenting. It is a tool that some parents use, which makes them more sensitive to the needs of their children. The process of attachment often begins during pregnancy when the mother feels affection for her developing baby. For other mothers, it may begin after their baby's birth and is a process that takes time through a series of daily caring interactions. Developing a secure attachment to a primary caregiver is extremely important as the child's mental representations of intimate relationships and the foundation trust often carry over into adulthood, affecting future adult relationships.

Doctors have found that nearly two-thirds of adopted children adjust well, some with only minor problems such as developmental delays or learning problems. One-third, however, displayed major problems such as an inability to form a close emotional attachment to their parents, destructive behaviors with a host of emotional and learning problems. Many adoptive families give the children back because they are unprepared to cope with the severity of the problems. This has proven to be catastrophic for the parents and the children. 

While it may appear that adopting children can be risky, the good news is that the finding of a new comprehensive study indicates that there is minimal difference in psychological functioning between children raised in adoptive families and those in biological families. Adoption can be successful and adopted children can form strong emotional attachments when parents and children are given appropriate information, resources, and support. Our professionals at Therapy Insider are dedicated to finding the counseling, treatment, and/or therapy that troubled teens and troubled young adults need for multiple behavioral and mental health issues.