International Adoption: Does It Really Help?

With the growing trend of international adoption, one cannot help wondering how this major decision in the life of a child impacts on the child’s physical, cognitive and psychosocial growth. Considering the sudden and enormous change in the environment, growing up in a foreign country could possibly become a truly difficult situation, and requires major adjustment that could last for years if not for a lifetime. According to Lerner (n.d.), some children develop reactive attachment disorder (RAD) when trying to adapt to the new environment.

Since internationally adopted children come from an entirely different place, they need to adjust to the new physical environment which includes a new home, neighborhood and school. Since most parents offer better physical conditions, adjustment at home may be limited to food choices, habits, use of technology and furniture, and sometimes chores. Specifically, adopted children may have different eating habits that need to be worked on to sustain their health. Parents should consider introducing new food choices gradually, to help the child adjust accordingly. At school and in the neighborhood, language barrier seems to serve as the major factor that prolongs or complicates adjustment.

 Another aspect that needs to be considered is the cognitive development. Andersen, Connor & Rutter, and Dalen (as mentioned in Gindis 2005) claim that adopted children have significant academic problems, and have higher need for remedial education than their native-born peers. Some children tend to have attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder possible due to inability to cope with the new environment, and inadequate or ineffective parental approach.

Aside from physical and cognitive considerations, psychosocial needs have to be met in order to ensure complete development. For instance, relating with others may not be easy for some children. In order to help the child maintain a proactive reaction to others, it is important for parents to be supportive in everything the child encounters, from simple fight with friends to school projects and report cards. The child has to feel that his/her concerns are given proper attention by the parents to help the child respond appropriately to the environment. Likewise, it would help if parents could find ways to show affection so children could learn how to express themselves similarly.

Nurturing the needs of an adopted child imposes challenges mainly on the part of the surrogate parents. While there are disadvantages to international adoption, there are also advantages to it, especially on the part of the child. With proper guidance and support, an adopted child has a good chance of having a better life than being raised in an orphanage or to irresponsible biological parents. International adoption offers a child fulfillment of one’s basic physical needs, obtaining a college degree, having more chances for growth in a multicultural and challenging environment.

Works Cited

Gindis, Boris. “Cognitive, Language, and Educational Issues of Children Adopted from Overseas Orphanages. Part IV.” Journal of Cognitive Education and Psychology, Volume 4, Number 3, February 2005.

Lerner, Mark. “Psychologist: Reactive Attachment Disorder.” Retrieved 30 July 2008 <http://international.adoption.com/foreign/psychologist-reactive-attachment-disorder.html>.