Parental ratings of behavioral adjustment in two samples of adopted Chinese girls: Age-related versus socio-emotional correlates and predictors

Parental ratings of 695 adopted Chinese girls' internalizing, externalizing, and total problem behaviors were analyzed in 4 stages to: (1) Compare adjustment profiles of Chinese adoptee samples with relevant US normative data; (2) analyze age differences in behavioral adjustment differences of Chinese adoptees; (3) examine interrelationships among the 3 behavior problem scores and child's age at adoption, current age, pre-adoption neglect, and post-adoption initial rejection behaviors; and (4) explore the degree to which the 4 child-level independent variables worked individually or collectively to predict behavioral adjustment outcomes. Chinese adoptees had better adjustment scores than normative samples from the U.S. Preschool-age adoptees had better adjustment scores than school-age adoptees. No relationships were observed between the age-related variables and behavioral adjustment measures. However, pre-adoption neglect and post-adoption initial rejection behaviors were predictors of behavioral adjustment scores. The implications of these findings for future research, clinical practice and parenting education were discussed.