Brooker Rebecca J, Berenbaum Sheri A, Bricker Josh, Corley Robin P, Wadsworth Sally J
Department of Psychology, The Pennsylvania State University.
J Res Adolesc. 2012 Dec 1;22(4):739-745. doi: 10.1111/j.1532-7795.2012.00820.x. Epub 2012 Jul 18.
Adopted children show more problem behaviors than nonadopted children. Given that internationally-adopted individuals show earlier puberty than non-adopted individuals, and early puberty is associated with problem behaviors in nonadopted youth, we analyzed data from domestic adoptees to determine whether problem behaviors could be explained by differences in pubertal timing. Relative to nonadopted controls (n = 153), domestically-adopted girls (n = 121) had earlier menarche, earlier sexual initiation, and more conduct disorder symptoms. Age at menarche partially mediated the relation of adoptive status to sexual initiation, but not to conduct disorder symptoms. Extending findings from international adoptees, results show that domestic adoption is also linked to earlier puberty, and suggest early puberty as one mechanism linking adoption to problematic outcomes.
领养儿童比非领养儿童表现出更多的问题行为。鉴于国际领养个体比非领养个体青春期发育更早，且青春期早发与非领养青少年的问题行为有关，我们分析了国内领养儿童的数据，以确定问题行为是否可以通过青春期发育时间的差异来解释。相对于非领养对照组（n = 153），国内领养女孩（n = 121）月经初潮更早、性活动开始更早，且品行障碍症状更多。月经初潮年龄部分介导了领养状态与性活动开始之间的关系，但与品行障碍症状无关。扩展国际领养儿童的研究结果，结果表明国内领养也与青春期早发有关，并提示青春期早发是将领养与问题结果联系起来的一种机制。
