Background

Although a very heterogeneous group, adopted persons may present developmental and mental health problems of varying severity. Pre-placement adversity and trauma have often been linked to these problems. It has been also suggested that adoption itself is a psychological trauma, predisposing the individual to emotional difficulties.

Objectives

This article examines the links between early adversity, trauma, and adoption. We begin by defining trauma and then describe the way in which pre-placement adversity can undermine neurobehavioral and interpersonal functioning, increasing the risk for long-term psychological difficulties. Next, we examine children's recovery when placed in a stable adoptive home. Finally, we explore adoption as a lived experience, highlighting contextual and developmental factors that facilitate the person's positive or negative attributions about being adopted, leading to varying patterns of emotional adjustment.

Conclusions

Although pre-placement adversity increases adopted individuals' risk for maladjustment, the human brain and behavior are malleable, and placement in a nurturing adoptive home often facilitates recovery from early adversity, with significant heterogeneity in the extent of recovery within and across domains of functioning. While there is no evidence that early adoption is a trauma for the individual, ongoing negative life circumstances, attachment difficulties, and developmentally-mediated attributions about adoption can undermine the person's self-esteem, identity, relationships, and sense of well-being. Conclusions and suggestions for future research are offered.

中文翻译：

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收养和创伤：风险、恢复和收养的生活经历

背景

尽管被收养者是一个非常多样化的群体，但他们可能会出现不同严重程度的发育和心理健康问题。安置前的逆境和创伤往往与这些问题有关。还有人认为，收养本身就是一种心理创伤，使个人容易陷入情感困难。

目标

本文探讨了早期逆境、创伤和收养之间的联系。我们首先定义创伤，然后描述入职前的逆境如何破坏神经行为和人际功能，增加长期心理困难的风险。接下来，我们检查儿童被安置在稳定的收养家庭后的康复情况。最后，我们将收养作为一种生活经历进行探索，强调促进人们对被收养产生积极或消极归因的背景和发展因素，从而导致不同的情绪调整模式。

结论

尽管安置前的逆境增加了被收养者适应不良的风险，但人类的大脑和行为是可塑的，安置在养育性的收养家庭中通常有助于从早期逆境中恢复，但功能领域内和跨功能领域的恢复程度存在显着异质性。虽然没有证据表明早期收养对个人来说是一种创伤，但持续的负面生活环境、依恋困难以及有关收养的发展介导的归因可能会损害个人的自尊、身份、人际关系和幸福感。提出了结论和对未来研究的建议。