Citation

Gorter B, Helder EJ, Oh YI, Gunnoe ML. Adopt. Q. 2017; 20(4): 291-308.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2017, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/10926755.2017.1349699

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Internationally adopted children show higher rates of disinhibited social behavior (DSB). Two competing explanations for DSB include difficulties in attachment specifically and deficits in inhibitory control more generally. This four-wave longitudinal study (a) documented the persistence of DSB among internationally adopted children and (b) tested the relative contributions of attachment environment versus inhibitory control difficulties in the persistence of DSB. Improvement in DSB was found 3 to 4 years post-adoption for the sample as a whole, although heterogeneity within the sample was present.

RESULTS from structural equation modeling and another test of mediation both indicated that the association between early deprivation and DSB was mediated by general difficulties with inhibitory control, not by attachment environment.

Language: en

Keywords

attachment; Disinhibited social behavior; indiscriminate friendliness; inhibition; international adoption