Discusses how, since 1990 in the Netherlands, prospective adopters of children from overseas have been required to attend preparation classes. Explains how the practice originated and outlines the subjects, experiences, and effects of the preparation courses. (TJQ)

A study identified adoption, family, and biographical variables that differentiated between adoptees who told or did not tell their adoptive parents about their search for their biological parents. Findings lend support to the importance of adoptive family discussion and suggest that the feelings about adoption of adoptive mothers and adoptive…

Examined the intercountry adoption experiences of 100 French and 100 English families, comparing policy in each country. Found a lack of effective and sensitive management of the introductory meetings between prospective parents and adoptive children, and of adequate birth records information. (HTH)

Discusses the impact of a class action lawsuit in Illinois on the interpretation of the Adoption Assistance and Child Welfare Act of 1980, a major piece of legislation designed to prevent the unnecessary removal of children from their families and to promote reunification if foster placement has occurred. (JPS)

Asserts that good child care programs can go a long way toward correcting myths about adoption. Stresses understanding what children need to know, telling the truth, talking to parents, discussing staff feelings and beliefs, and making the topic of adoption part of the child care center curriculum. (SM)

Describes a special program for older children entering residential treatment facilities for whom adoption is a goal. The program offers a continuum of care which incorporates the strengths of group living, therapy, and adoption preparation and placement. (HTH)

A program for legally mandated training of foster and adoptive parents in rural Oregon is described. The development of this program and its funding sources can serve as an example for other rural areas. (BC)

Develops mathematical models to characterize the probability of continued use of an integrated office automation system and tests these models on longitudinal data collected from 210 individuals using the IBM Professional Office System (PROFS) at the University of California at Berkeley. Analyses using survival functions and proportional hazard…

Summarizes the contents of the 54 articles of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. The articles define the freedoms and rights of children and prescribe standards for their protection and nurturing. (DM)

Examined the effects of prenatal drug exposure on adopted children's behavior, temperament, health, and school adjustment by comparing the experiences of 3 cohorts of children: (1) 320 drug-exposed children; (2) 456 children who were not drug exposed; and (3) 620 children whose drug exposure was unknown. Two years after placement no significant…

This annotated bibliography of recommended children's fiction and non-fiction about adoption lists 35 titles published since 1992. Only books that depict adoption accurately and use positive adoption language are included. (PEN)

Examines whether there are differences in parent-child communication and in adolescent self-esteem among adoptive, separated, and intact non-adoptive families. Results suggest that through the comparison of different types of families, it is possible to shed light on the correlations between non-normative events and family relationships and…

Analyzed New York's implementation of a legislated adoption subsidy program. Found variance in county subsidy levels not based on cost-of-living differences. Also found that special needs child subsidies are close to estimated rearing costs, and low subsidy counties cause a financial burden on adoptive parents. Findings pose implications for…

Integrates several mainstream research approaches to new media diffusion to explore the potential strengths and weaknesses of each. Investigates factors influencing multimedia cable service adoption interest, including demographic variables, existing media-use patterns, and personality traits such as "innovativeness." (SR)

Discusses use of the Internet by teachers for teacher mailing lists on particular academic subjects. Reports the results of email enquiries that investigated the adoption of use of the lists and then the levels of participation, and concludes that participation is very unequal and questions the cooperative character of these lists. (Author/LRW)