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  • Internalizing Problems in A...
    Carrera, Pablo; Roman, Maite; Caceres, Isabel; Palacios, Jesus

    Psicothema, 04/2024, Volume: 36, Issue: 2
    Journal Article

    Background: Internationally adopted children who suffered early institutionalization are at risk of a late onset of internalizing problems in adolescence. Both pre-adoption, adversity-related, and post-adoption factors predict variability in internalizing problems in this population. Previous studies have suggested different patterns of parent-adolescent informant discrepancies in adoptive dyads. Method: We analyzed internalizing problems among 66 adolescents internationally adopted from Russia to Spanish families using both the parent- and self-report version of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire and comparing them with a low-risk, community group (n = 30). We assessed pre-adoption and post-adoption factors and evaluated cross-informant discrepancies. Results: Internationally adopted adolescents exhibited more internalizing problems by parent-report than community adolescents, but there were no differences by self-report. Adopted youth showed no discrepancies between parent and self-report, whereas community adolescents reported more internalizing symptoms than their parents. Pre-adoption adversity-related factors predicted parent-reported internalizing problems, while post-adoption factors predicted self-reported internalizing problems. Conclusions: Parent-adolescent informant discrepancies in adopted adolescents from Eastern Europe for internalizing symptoms were lower than in community adolescents. Both adversity-related factors and the lived experience of adoption may influence the development of internalizing symptoms in internationally adopted adolescents. Keywords: International adoption Early adversity Internalizing problems Post-adoption processes Informant discrepancies Antecedentes: Los ninos y ninas adoptados internacionalmente estan en riesgo de desarrollar problemas emocionales en la adolescencia. Factores relacionados con la adversidad y con procesos post-adopcion predicen variabilidad en problemas internalizantes en esta poblacion. Estudios previos sugieren tambien diferentes patrones de discrepancias entre informantes en diadas adoptivas. Metodo: Analizamos los problemas internalizantes en 66 adolescentes adoptados de Rusia a familias espanolas, usando el Cuestionario de Capacidades y Fortalezas y comparandoles con un grupo adolescentes de la comunidad (n = 30). Evaluamos factores pre- y post-adopcion y discrepancias entre informantes (autoinforme e informe parental). Resultados: Los adolescentes adoptados mostraron mas problemas internalizantes por informe parental que los adolescentes comunitarios, pero no hubo diferencias por autoinforme. En el grupo adoptado no hubo discrepancias entre informantes, mientras que el grupo de comparacion reporto mas sintomas internalizantes que sus progenitores. Factores relacionados con la adversidad predijeron problemas internalizantes por informe parental, mientras que factores post-adopcion predijeron problemas internalizantes por autoinforme. Conclusiones: Las discrepancias entre informantes en problemas internalizantes fueron menores en adolescentes adoptados que en adolescentes de la comunidad. Tanto factores relacionados con la adversidad como con la vivencia de la adopcion pueden influir en el desarrollo de problemas internalizantes en adolescentes adoptados internacionalmente. Palabras clave: Adopcion internacional Adversidad temprana Problemas internalizantes Procesos post-adopcion Discrepancias entre informantes