Crea Thomas M, Barth Richard P, Guo Shenyang, Brooks Devon
Graduate School of Social Work, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467, USA.
Am J Orthopsychiatry. 2008 Jan;78(1):11-9. doi: 10.1037/0002-9432.78.1.11.
From a life course perspective, studies of cumulative disadvantage often identify early risk factors as predictors of poor outcomes. This study examined the influence of prenatal substance exposure on children's externalizing behaviors at 14 years postadoption. Using Wave 4 data from the California Long-Range Adoption Study, the authors employed growth curve modeling to examine behavioral trajectories of 275 children as influenced by foster care status, age at adoption, and gender. Outcomes are measured using a shortened Behavioral Problem Index. Prenatal exposure predicted elevated behavior problems that increased normatively compared with nonexposed children, and were not found to trigger the negative behavior sequelae once feared. Foster children tended to fare better over the life course than those adopted through other means, except for children adopted at older ages. Adopted children's problem behaviors may be directly associated with the success of their placements. The authors discuss implications for practice and future research.
从生命历程的角度来看，累积劣势研究常常将早期风险因素确定为不良后果的预测指标。本研究考察了收养后14年时产前物质暴露对儿童外化行为的影响。作者利用加利福尼亚长期收养研究的第4波数据，采用生长曲线模型来考察275名儿童受寄养状况、收养年龄和性别的影响的行为轨迹。使用缩短版行为问题指数来衡量结果。产前暴露预示着行为问题增加，与未暴露儿童相比，其行为问题呈正常增加，且未发现会引发曾一度令人担忧的负面行为后遗症。除了年龄较大时被收养的儿童外，寄养儿童在生命历程中的表现往往比通过其他方式收养的儿童更好。被收养儿童的问题行为可能与其安置的成功直接相关。作者讨论了对实践和未来研究的启示。
