Adopted child syndrome is a term that has been used to explain behaviors in adopted children that are claimed to be related to their adoptive status. Specifically, these include problems in bonding,

attachment disorder Attachment disorder is a broad term intended to describe disorders of mood, behavior, and social relationships arising from unavailability of normal socializing care and attention from primary care giving figures in early childhood. Such a fai ...

lying A lie is an assertion that is believed to be false, typically used with the purpose of deception, deceiving or Deception, misleading someone. The practice of communicating lies is called lying. A person who communicates a lie may be termed a l ...

, stealing, defiance of authority, and acts of violence. The term has never achieved acceptance in the professional community. The term is not found in the

American Psychiatric Association The American Psychiatric Association (APA) is the main professional organization of psychiatrists and trainee psychiatrists in the United States, and the largest psychiatric organization in the world. It has more than 37,000 members are involv ...

's ''Diagnostic and Statistical Manual'', 4th edition, TR.

History of the term

David Kirschner, who coined the term, says that most adoptees are not disturbed and that the syndrome only applies to "a small clinical subgroup." Researchers Brodizinsky, Schechter, and Henig find that in a review of the literature, generally children adopted before the age of six months fare no differently than children raised with their biological parents. Later problems that develop among children adopted from the child welfare system at an older age are usually associated with the effects of chronic early maltreatment in the caregiving relationship; abuse and

neglect In the context of caregiving, neglect is a form of abuse where the perpetrator, who is responsible for caring for someone who is unable to care for themselves, fails to do so. It can be a result of carelessness, indifference, or unwillingness an ...

. Psychologist Betty Jean Lifton, herself an adopted person, has written extensively on psychopathology in adopted people, primarily in ''Lost and Found: The Adoption Experience'', and ''Journey of the Adopted Self: A Quest for Wholeness'' and briefly discusses Adopted child syndrome.Smith, Jerome. "The Adopted Child Syndrome: A Methodological Perspective" ''Families in Society'' 82 no5 491-7 S/O 2001

References

External links

Adopted Child Syndrome page, including bibliographyAdoption: Uncharted Waters Official Book Web Site
{{Adopt Adoption parenting Mental disorders diagnosed in childhood

History of the term

See also

References

External links