Investigates developmental changes in adopted and nonadopted children's knowledge of adoption. A total of 200 children ranging in age from 4 to 13 years participated. Results indicated clear developmental trends in children's knowledge of the nature of the adoptive family relationship, as well as in their understanding of the motivational basis…

Reviews the preliminary results of a research study designed to analyze the critical factors in the adoption of 78 older hard-to-place youths with severe emotional and learning disabilities. A high percentage of emotionally disturbed youths benefit from ties with adoptive families. Such placements are complex with varied outcomes. (Author/BB)

Six popular misconceptions about adoption are presented along with research evidence refuting each of them. (Author/RH)

Presents data on adoption and characteristics of women who adopt based on a national sample of 8,611 women in 1976. Results showed over half the women who were married, over age 30, had never borne a child, and were sterile for noncontraceptive reasons had adopted. (JAC)

The Adoption and Safe Families Act (ASFA) addresses issues pertaining to prevention of placement in the child welfare system, as well as family reunification, the specific provisions of ASFA that relate to the termination of parental rights and adoption are perhaps most central to the law's overarching purpose. This paper analyzes adoptions from…

The multiracial population is one of the fastest growing segments of the U. S. population. In discussing the multiracial population it is first important to identify and define the groups that are under the heading of multiracial. The literature has included interracial couples, multiracial individuals, and families in which a cross-racial or…

Collaboration of a public social service department and a public adoption department demonstrated that it was possible to find permanent adoptive homes for many children who were in foster care. (Editor)

The most significant finding of the study was that 58 percent of the sample did not have children by birth at the time of adoption. Another major finding was that half of these interracial placements were agency initiated. Other findings are also discussed. (Author/CG)

The importance of dealing immediately with the trauma of the child's separation from natural parents, siblings, and foster parents is stressed. Placement techniques and procedures involving adoptive parents, foster parents and the child are described. (MG)

Hypothesis confirmed "that the persuasive effectiveness of a message containing opinionated statements depends partly upon the intensity of a receiver's initial attitude toward the topic of the message. (Author/RD)

Research supported by grants from the Mershon Center for Education in National Security Affairs and the National Science Foundation.

An approach combining social worker and geneticist expertise in adoption is outlined in the study involving 180 families. Genetic counseling has shown to be an essential safeguard to the preservation of the adoptive family unit. (Author/SW)

Discusses foster care with potential for adoption, describes eight legal categories identified as appropriate for foster care/adoption planning, and indicates aspects of cooperation between social work and legal personnel. Rights of biological parents, the importance of trust among parties concerned, and misuses and pitfalls of the foster…