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Parental Satisfaction in the Adoption of Children with Learning Disorders: The Role of Behavior Problems
Author(s) -
Nalavany Blace A.,
Glidden Laraine M.,
Ryan Scott D.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
family relations
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.772
H-Index - 87
eISSN - 1741-3729
pISSN - 0197-6664
DOI - 10.1111/j.1741-3729.2009.00579.x
Subject(s) - operationalization , psychology , developmental psychology , learning disorders , clinical psychology , learning disability , philosophy , epistemology
We sought to determine the extent to which children's behavior problems would mediate the relationship between children's learning disorders and adoption satisfaction using nationally representative data from 1,865 adoptive parents. We found that high levels of behavior problems, operationalized as internalizing and externalizing behaviors, occurred more frequently in children with learning disorders, supporting our mediational model. We concluded that it was the behavior problems, not the learning disorders, that were most problematic for parents. Implications for both pre‐ and postadoption services are highlighted.