Conceptions of Family and Adoption Among Older Adoptees

ABSTRACT

Research on older child adoptions that incorporates the adoptee's perspective is noticeably absent from the literature. Drawing on the theoretical, clinical and empirical literature on children's understanding of family and adoption, this paper reports a study that examined older adoptees' conceptions of family and adoption relative to nonadopted peers. Interviews with 15 children adopted between ages 8 and 11 and a sample of 15 demographically matched nonadopted children (47% male; 84% Caucasian, 13% African American, 3% Biracial Asian/American) provided data that were analyzed for differences in children's understanding and elaboration of family and adoption concepts. Although no group differences were found in children's basic understanding of family or adoption, differences emerged in children's ratings of the acceptability and typicality of family constellations, as well as in the nature of concept elaboration. Older adoptees were more likely to accept and view as typical nontraditional family constellations. Whereas nonadopted children relied more on biological themes, older adoptees' concept elaboration was qualitatively richer, reflecting their varied birth family and foster care experiences. Within-group comparisons among older adoptees revealed differences: Children with more experience in foster care and children who lived in the adoptive home longer displayed higher levels of family understanding and a more realistic perspective of the permanence of the placement. Implications for future research and adoption service delivery are discussed.     

An examination of the relationship between child sexual offending and psychopathy

The participants in this study were adult males (N = 111) who were accused of various sexual crimes against children 16 years of age or younger, and who were evaluated at a state forensic facility in a large Midwestern state. This study examined the relationship of Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R) scores to type of child sexual offender (same sex extrafamilial, opposite sex extrafamilial, and incest offenders), the presence of violence during the most recent child sexual offense, and criminal versatility. Results indicated that those sexual offenders who employed physical violence against the children they abused were significantly more psychopathic than those who did not. No significant differences were found between types of child sexual offenders or with general criminal versatility.     

The saving and spending habits of young people

Over 250 British children and adolescents completed a questionnaire on their sources of personal income (pocket money/allowance, part-time job, gifts), as well as how much they had saved, where it was stored, and for what purpose it was intended. Particular attention was paid to bank accounts. The participants also responded to various attitude statements about money and the economic situation in general. Results showed numerous sex and age, but few class differences. Males received more pocket money and presents than females, and older children more than younger children. Over 80% of the children claimed their parents would not give them extra money if they had spent it all. Regressional analyses showed that the best predictors of regularity of saving, as well as the proportion of money saved, were the more money received; the less money spent in the previous week and total amount of money saved in the previous week. The results are discussed in terms of the limited empirical literature on children's pocket money allowances, particularly with respect to demographic differences. Limitations of the methodology are also reported.     

Immigrant consumption of sickness benefits in Sweden, 1982–1991

This study identifies factors influencing the differences in utilization of sickness benefits between immigrants and natives in Sweden. The main conclusion is that the differences in consumption of sickness benefits between foreign born and Swedes, as well as between various immigrant groups are large and persist after accounting for standard human capital factors. In fact, the difference due to country of birth is larger than differences due to other human capital factors such as education and sex. It is also larger than income position and urban/rural differences. It is, however, not simply a matter of arriving as labor immigrant or asylum seeker but has a more complex pattern. This study utilizes a register-based panel containing economic and demographic information on a sample of 110,000 Swedes and immigrants from 16 countries.     

Improving Preschoolers' Comprehension of Sex Abuse Prevention Concepts Through Video Repetition

ABSTRACT

Because of their ease of administration and acceptance among parents, sex abuse prevention videotapes remain widely used. However, such video-based programs have shown limited effectiveness among preschool-aged children, the group most vulnerable to abuse. This study sought to determine whether having preschoolers review those video segments they did not comprehend initially, would increase their comprehension of sex abuse prevention concepts. Children who reviewed the concepts learned significantly more than children who viewed the segment once, even though an adult co-viewer explained the content to them. This efficient and simple method of enhancing young children's comprehension holds great promise for improving video-based sex abuse prevention efforts.     

Interpreting Child Sexual Abuse: Empathy and Offense-Supportive Cognitions among Child Sex Offenders

Researchers have suggested that child sex offenders hold distorted views on social interactions with children. Misinterpreting children’s behavior and intentions could lead to sexually abusive behavior toward children. It is further suggested that the interpretation process is influenced by offenders’ offense-supportive cognitions and levels of empathy. To examine the relationships between these three concepts, 47 contact offenders completed self-reports on offense-supportive cognitions and empathy. Vignettes were developed to assess the extent to which offenders attributed responsibility, benefit, and complicity to children in hypothetical child molestation incidents. This study showed that cognitions that justify sexual offending against children seem to diminish the threshold for sexual assault by assigning more cooperation and willingness of the victim in a child molestation incident.     

Danish children's and their parents' economic understanding, reasoning and attitudes

The results of the Danish survey in the international project ‘Naive Economics’ are presented and analysed. The survey is unique in also including parents in the population sample. Parents' economic understanding is found to be more precise and related to facts. The children's understanding of the labour market and the functioning of banks in particular is limited, though parents also have a surprisingly poor understanding of bank functioning. Concerning economic reasoning, the adults distinguish between real and nominal changes while children are less aware of the difference. Children are found to have an extremely limited understanding of what tax is, and of the role of taxes. Children's and parents' economic attitudes are found to be very much alike.     

Sexuality-Related Outcomes of Adolescent Children of Teen Mothers

The relationship between being an adolescent child of a teen mother and sexuality-related outcomes was investigated using data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth. Adolescents whose mothers were teenagers at first birth were more likely to have had sex by age 16 than other adolescents. Gender moderated this effect, as this relationship was stronger for sons than for daughters. In addition, children of mothers with a lower level of education, adolescents who lived in poverty, and adolescents who resided with less than two biological parents at the start of the study were more likely to have had sex.     

Developing consistent and transparent kinship care policy and practice: State mandated,mediated, and independent care

To date, the large majority of the research literature on kinship care in the United States has focused on the similarities and differences between children and caregivers in “public” or “formal” vs. “private” or “informal” care. Our understanding of children's living arrangements in the homes of their relatives, however, is becoming more nuanced and complex. The stark differences between public and private care are increasingly mediated by hybrid kinship models that may be government facilitated, but are not considered fully public in nature. This paper lays out a framework for understanding the multiple custodial options available to non-indigenous children in the United States who need alternative care from a related adult. We introduce a taxonomy in which care arrangements are characterized as state mandated, state mediated, or state independent. The variability in custodial arrangements raises questions about the routes by which children arrive to care, and the sorting process that shuttles children into arrangements that may offer more or fewer services and supports. Policies that promote consistency within care types are recommended. Practices that make more transparent access across models and a research agenda to fill gaps in knowledge are discussed.     

Son preference and reproductive behaviour in rural Punjab

This study examines the impact of son preference on desired family size and contraceptive usage among a rural population in Punjab, India. Data are obtained from a sample survey conducted for the Center for Research in Rural and Industrial Development in 1989-90 in 7 rural districts of Punjab. The sample includes 450 currently married women aged 15-44 years. Analysis pertains to mean desired family size, the percentage not desiring additional children, the percentage desiring additional sons and daughters, and current use of contraception by sex, birth order, and number of living children. The estimation of the extent to which contraception would increase and desired family size would decline is based on methods developed by Arnold (1985) that assume no sex preference at any parity. Findings indicate a strong son preference. At every parity, women with sons only desired fewer children and were more likely to use contraception. Among women who desired more children, there was no indication that women with sons only desired a balanced sex composition. None desired a second daughter, and many desired a second son. As the number of living sons increased, so did contraceptive use. Contraception was 20% among couples with no son, 50% among those with one living son, and 81% among those with two living sons. Sterilization acceptors had an average of 2.07 living sons. At parity 2, two times as many couples had boys only compared to girls only. At parity 3, there were 7 times more families with boys only than families with girls only. If sex preferences were completely eliminated in the Punjab, there would be a 9% decline in desired family size from 3.05 children to 2.77 children. Contraceptive use would increase by 14 percentage points from 58% to 72%. The cultural practices of the Jats ethnic group place girls in the position of being an economic liability.     

Comparison of Role Demands,Relationships, and Child Functioning in Single-Mother,Single-Father,and Intact Families

Abstract

Numerous studies have examined the impact of divorce on parents and children, but most of these studies have been restricted to single-mother families. This study compared differences in role demands, relationships, and child functioning using the responses of parents and children in 30 single-mother, 30 single-father, and 30 intact families. Single fathers had better resources than single mothers, more positive parenting than married fathers, and relied more on friends than the married parents. Single mothers had less education, less prestigious jobs, lower incomes, and more economic strain than the other parents. They also had fewer social resources and more difficulty than married parents with the parenting role. Despite these disadvantages of single mother families, children in these families were no different than children in other families on most measures of well-being. The only problem that was identified in the functioning of children from single-parent families was with their behavior. These findings can be used to develop strategies to reduce risks and enhance the existing resources and strengths of single-parent families.     

Development of personal space among Puerto Ricans

Puerto Rican children at the first-, sixth-, and eleventh-grade levels were observed interacting in same-sex dyads in two different cultural environments, New York and Puerto Rico. In accord with results obtained with other cultural groups, older children used larger interaction distances than did younger children. This development occurred later, however, for Puerto Rican children than had been reported for Americans of northern European ancestry. Further, Puerto Rican children and adolescents did not display the consistently reported sex differences in personal space preferences. Females did stand more directly with one another (face-to-face) though, and older children of both sexes interacted at more direct orientations than younger children. The results are discussed in the context of cultural differences in socialization practices.     

The Impact of Divorce

This study sought to determine if the often described differences in the child-rearingpractices of divorced and married mothers are related to the father's absence, or if they are largely related to the low income which so often occurs with divorce. Seventy-two mothers varying along the dimensions of father absence, income, number of children, and sex of the target child were interviewed. The resultssuggest that income is a key factor; child-rearing practices were more restrictive and demanding at the lower but not at the higher income levels. Additional effects were found when child-rearing practices were analyzed by sex of child and number of children.     

Economic Pressure, Maternal Depression, and Child Adjustment in Latino Families: An Exploratory Study

The goal of this study was to investigate the impact of poverty and economic pressure upon the adjustment of mothers and children in immigrant Latino families. Participants included 56 first generation Latina mothers who completed questionnaires addressing economic difficulties, depression, social support, and behavior problems exhibited by their children (30 boys, 26 girls) who ranged in ages from 4 to 13. Results indicate that maternal depression mediates the relationship between maternal economic pressure and child adjustment. Social support was found to further moderate the relationship between maternal depression and child internalizing problems. Gender differences indicated that relations were stronger among mothers of boys than mothers of girls.     

Economic socialization in children in a midwestern American community

This study is part of an international program of research involving fifteen countries. The goal of the research program is to advance international understanding of economic socialization in children. This study attempts to describe and understand this process in American children aged 8, 11 and 14. In-depth interviews were used to learn about economic understanding, economic reasoning and economic attitudes in 87 children living in a midwestern town. Analysis of the interview data indicated that economic socialization is indeed a reality in that sophistication increased with age.     

Economic socialization in the kibbutz and the town in Israel

This study compared the economic understanding and attitudes of children living in the city with those living in a kibbutz, collective villages where an extreme socialist lifestyle is practised and preached. The differences in the answer patterns of the urban and kibbutz children were not very large, but the pattern was clear, and in keeping with the dominant ideology in both places: socialist in the kibbutz, middle-class capitalist in the city.     

School outcomes for homeless children: differences among sheltered,doubled-up,and poor,housed children

Some definitions of child homelessness include the category of children who are doubled-up with others due to loss of housing or economic hardship, while others do not. Are doubled-up children more like children in shelters or children who are poor but housed? A quasi-experimental comparison group design was used to test empirically for differences in school mobility, school attendance, and reading and mathematics achievement among three groups of sheltered, doubled-up, and poor, housed children, respectively, with each group containing 49 students. Sheltered students were found to have significantly higher levels of school mobility and significantly lower rates of school attendance than students in the other two groups. An elaboration of the continuum of risk model is proposed to differentiate experiences of sheltered and doubled-up students. Recommendations are made for policy responses as well as future research.     

Girls,boys, money. Economic socialisation,gender, and generations in Italy

The aim of this article is to discuss the issue of economic socialisation in Italy from a gender perspective. What do boys and girls know about money and economy? How do they acquire this knowledge? What roles do the family, school, and the media play?

The empirical material making up the base of our observations is composed of in-depth interviews with a group of Milanese families on the questions of economic socialisation and practices of money management. Gender differences emerge in the construction of the relationship with money by children and young adults: girls, in particular, undergo the strongest pressure, i.e. they are still more driven towards discipline and self-control.

Our results also suggest the need to activate targeted, gender-sensitive training programmes in economic education.     

South African Men Who Have Sex With Both Men and Women and How They Differ From Men Who Have Sex With Men Exclusively

The label “men who have sex with men” (MSM) is used to categorize a diverse population exclusively on the basis of its sexual behavior. Understanding the diversity that this label comprises is critical for the development of health interventions that effectively reach the various populations subsumed under this label. In this cross-sectional study of South African MSM (N = 480) recruited through respondent-driven sampling (RDS), we explored differences between men who had sex with both men and women (MSMW) and men who had sex with men exclusively (MSME). We found significant differences between these two groups in terms of sexual attraction, sexual identity, sexual preferences, sexual histories, and current sexual practices. MSMW were more likely to be confused about their same-sex attraction, to experience internalized homophobia, and to have paid for sex in the previous year, while MSME were more gender nonconforming and more likely to have been forced to have sex in the previous year. These findings underscore that the MSM label comprises a diverse population and that exclusive sexual engagement with other men is a critical distinction to take into account in understanding this diversity and fully grasping the lived experiences of men who have sex with men.     

Single Motherhood and Children's Health and School Performance in Japan

This article examines the well-being of Japanese children in single-mother families relative to children living with both parents. Using data from three rounds of the National Survey of Households with Children, I first demonstrate that single mothers report their children to have significantly worse health and lower academic performance. I then estimate regression models to assess the extent to which these differences reflect single mothers’ economic disadvantage, difficult work circumstances, and worse health and experience of stressful life events. Results indicate that economic disadvantage is particularly important for understanding lower levels of well-being among the children of single mothers. I conclude by discussing potential implications of these results for linkages between family behavior and inequality in Japan and for the intergenerational transmission of disadvantage.