Symptoms of adopted children presenting to a large mental health clinic

Abstract

The intake records of a selected sample of children adopted in early infancy are reviewed and their presenting symptoms categorized. A majority of the children's symptoms fell into the first 5 of 15 categories: Oppositional Behavior, Aggressive Behavior, Anti-social Acting Out, Academic Problems and Problems with Peers. While these symptoms are not uncommon in non-adoptive clinic cases, the authors note an emphasis on the adoptive parents' disappointment and accusatory attitude toward these children as well as a high incidence of symptoms indicative of interpersonal difficulties and problems in developing solid parental attachments and self-control.