A Study Of Intactness Of Adoptive Families And Behavioral...

The Older Adopted Child: A Study of Intactness of Adoptive Families and Behavioral Problems of Older Children Sarah A. Kell University of California Riverside Abstract The older adopted child is a unique case of adoption where the child is of school age. The definition of what constitutes a case of older child adoption has changed numerous times over 20th century, but school age is currently the definition for an older child. This means children as early as five years old are considered difficult to place due to their age. Children who are considered a difficult placement are classified as special needs, even if they may or may not have any physical or mental disability. Other categories of special needs include transracial children and children who have a developmental disease. There has been an observation in recent studies that have shown the older a child is, the more likely they are to have behavior problems, as well as an increased chance of disruption in a family. The acceptability of older child adoption has only been recent, as older child adoption was rallied as acceptable by adoptive families. The claim that older children are adoptable is an extremely valid point, as in no way are these children different from any child who would be considered normal. This study shows how the mentality of an older child can effect an adoptive family, as well as how often disruptions occur and why they occur. The Older Adopted Child: A Study of Intactness of Adoptive