Behavior & Mental Disorders

The second class that Brock and I took via http://www.adopteducation.com was on Behavor & Mental Disorders. I didn’t find it to be quite as helpful as the one on Attachment & Bonding, but I did find some interesting and relevant tidbits.

In the 1960s, it was reported that adoptees made up a disproportionate number of patients seeking mental health care. At face value, this supported the notion that adoptees tend to suffer from mental illness often.

On the flip side, adoptees are underrepresented in juvenile court and as adult mental health patients, making it probable that the real reason for their prevalence as juvenile mental health patients is because their parents are more aware of social service options and more likely to actually see help.

Also, many children who have been institutionalized exhibit abnormal behaviors, especially during the time just following the adoption. These behaviors should be considered differently than if the same behaviors (or other abnormal behavior) is persistent beyond typical period of adoption adjustment. Symptoms of depression, autism, and aggression are typical during the transition period, but if they persist, they may signal Reactive Attachment Disorder.

Brock and I have discussed at length the fact that we have no specific expectations for how Shaling might react to being adopted. We both realize that psychologically, we are “kidnapping” her. We realize it could take her months or even years before she feels entirely comfortable with us. However, seeing her in the videos (see previous blog entries) gives us much optimism that she will eventually be loving and happy.

Via some Yahoo parenting groups, I have made contact with two mid-Western families also adopting children from Shaling’s “simulated family”. Combined with the two boys also coming to Rochester, that is now five of her group of eight “siblings” that we are likely to be able to reunite her with occasionally. We are hopeful that this will help her as well.