Are Adopted Children and Their Parents at Greater Risk for Negative Outcomes?

Drawing from the National Survey of Families and Households data set, a group of adopted children and their parents (n = 72) and a matched group of biological children and their parents were identified. Parents' responses on items related to their own well-being, attitudes toward family life, parenting behaviors and values, and perceptions of their child's behaviors were compared. Results indicated no significant differences between the groups' responses. Findings thus challenged pathological assumptions and myths about adopted children and their parents, suggesting that deficiency models are inadequate for researching--and working with--adopted children and their families.