Psychological wellbeing in adult adoptees: current age and developmental tasks.

Introduction: Studies about adult adoptees are normally focused on the differences in adjustment difficulties between them and non-adoptees. However, there has been less research about adoptees' positive and developmental adjustment in adulthood. The aim of this study is to test a model of the mediating role of adoptees' achievement of adulthood tasks in the relationship between current age and psychological wellbeing. Materials and methods: The sample consisted of 117 adults who were adopted as children by Spanish families. Their current mean age is 28.3 years. Participants underwent an interview and completed Ryff's Psychological WellBeing Scales. Results: Findings show that current age is directly and negatively related to psychological wellbeing [c' = -0.039, 95% CI (-0.078, -0.001)], and the relationship between these variables is mediated by adoptees' achievement of adulthood tasks [indirect effect = 0.035, 95% CI (.014, 0.059)]. Discussion: The findings support traditional theories about transitioning to adulthood, and adds relevant information about this transition in adoptees. Moreover, this work indicates a new way of assessing adoption success, based on long-term measures and normative variables. Services providers should account for the importance of supporting young people on their life transitions and promoting their wellbeing, especially among those who started from disadvantaged contexts.

Calidad de vida y salud mental en adultos adoptados / Quality of life and mental health in adopted adults

Ese trabajo analiza el ajuste psicológico y se comprueba un modelo teórico propuesto que relaciona la presencia de síntomas psicopatológicos con una peor calidad de vida relacionada con la salud (CVRS) de adultos adoptados. Participaron 177 adultos jóvenes adoptados (media 27.67 años). Se tomaron medidas de síntomas psicopatológicos (SCL-90), calidad de vida (SF-12), autoestima (RSES) y resiliencia (BRS). El modelo de mediación múltiple resultante indica que además de la relación directa entre psicopatología y CVRS, la resiliencia y la autoestima tienen un efecto amortiguador en esta relación. Como conclusiones, se evidencia el impacto de las dificultades en salud mental en la CVRS de personas adoptadas. La presencia de recursos psicológicos positivos, como resiliencia y autoestima, hace que dimensiones psicopatológicas como ansiedad, depresión, fobias o psicoticismo pierdan valor. Se sugiere incluir programas que potencien la resiliencia como estrategia para mejorar la salud y en los servicios de postadopción. (AU)

This paper analyses psychological adjustment and checks a suggested theoretical model that relates the presence of psychopathological symptoms to a worse health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in adult adoptees. The sample consisted of 177 young adopted adults (mean age 27.67). Measures of psychopathological symptoms (SCL-90), quality of life (SF-12), self-esteem (RSES), and resilience (BRS) were taken. The multiple mediation model shows that, in addition to the direct association between psychopathological symptomatology and a poorer HRQOL, resilience, and self-esteem have a buffering effect on this relationship. As a conclusion, empirical evidence of the impact of mental health difficulties on the HRQOL of adopted people is shown. The presence of positive psychological resources, such as resilience and self-esteem, causes psychopathological dimensions, such as anxiety, depression, phobias, or psychoticism to decrease. This paper supports the inclusion of resilience-building programs as a health promotion strategy, especially in the case of psychopathology, and among post-adoption services. (AU)

Exploring health-related quality of life of Spanish domestic adult adoptees: sociodemographic characteristics, chronic medical conditions, and gender differences.

PURPOSE: The main objective is to study the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) as a positive approach to health in adult adoptees. We will also consider comparison with population norms, relation to chronic medical conditions, the role of sociodemographic variables, and gender differences among the variables in this study. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study of 179 adult domestic adoptees from Spain aged between 18 and 44. They were recruited from a longitudinal study, which was on its third wave. They answered an interview and the self-report measure Health Survey Short Form (SF-12). ANOVAs and t test analyses to compare groups, and multiple regression to determine predictors of HRQoL, were performed. RESULTS: Adoptees are not different from the general population in terms of perceived physical health (PH) and mental health (MH). Both PH and MH are related to different variables (e.g., current age is negatively associated with PH, as is the number of chronic medical conditions with MH). Despite the absence of gender differences in MH perception, there were common and different predictor variables for males and females. The number of chronic medical conditions predicts HRQoL regardless of gender. For women, employment is also a predictor, and for men, other variables are being in a romantic relationship, having children, and low income. CONCLUSIONS: Adult adoptees are comparable to general population in terms of HRQoL, but there are associated variables (chronic medical conditions and gender) that should be considered. Post-adoption services should promote health and support in life transitions for this group.

Psychological adjustment in Spanish young adult domestic adoptees: Mental health and licit substance consumption.

Although adoptive families have been shown to provide a protective context for human development, some adopted children and adolescents are at increased risk for psychological adjustment problems. On the other hand, little is known about psychological adjustment of young adult adoptees. The aim of this study is to analyze the mental health and legal substance consumption (tobacco and alcohol) of young adults (n = 134) who were domestically adopted by Spanish families. Young adults showed significantly worse scores on the Symptom Check-List-90-R (Derogatis, 1975) and also more substance use than did the Spanish general population, but fewer difficulties than did the clinical population. On the Global Severity Index (GSI), 65.7% of adoptees were within the normal range, 24.6% were at risk, and 9.7% were within the clinical range. Male adoptees scored higher than expected for the general population on all subscales, whereas female adoptees did not. Age at adoption was not found to have a significant impact on adjustment. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).