This finding runs counter to the classical understanding of adopted adolescents. The classical view is based to a considerable extent on clinical samples and a wider spectrum of adoptions, including those that occur after infancy. When the focus is on agency-assisted infant adoptions, the journey through adolescence appears to be, on average, less stormy. Such bonds increase the probability of successful socialization. Though adoption can conceivably interfere with the attachment process, we find extremely high rates of strong attachment to adoptive parents.
Adopted adolescents are as deeply attached to parents as are their non-adopted siblings.
The vast majority of adoptive families, then, master a crucial process important to healthy development. Return to top of page Family Dynamics One of the most salient characteristics of families in this study is their stability. Only 11 percent of adolescents report divorce or separation compared to 28 percent in a national sample of adolescents. This may be due, in part, to the pre-adoption screening process typically employed by agencies during the 1970s. Adoptive families in this study typically evidence a high level of strength in terms of warmth, communication, discipline, and cohesion.