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Background <p>According to the DSM-5, attachment disorders can be categorized as two distinct types: Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD) and Disinhibited Social Engagement Disorder (DSED). The literature has suggested that children who have experienced emotional and social care deprivation tend to show signs of these disorders. Thus, attachment is a central topic in adopted children.</p> Objective <p>The present study aims to explore the relationship between pre-adoption experiences and attachment disorders of adopted Portuguese children.</p> Method <p>Seventy-eight adoptive parents (75.6% mothers) of children aged 3 to 11 (59% boys), who had been adopted on average for 4.3&#xa0;years, participated in this study. RAD and DSED symptoms were assessed with the translated and adapted Portuguese version of the <i>Early TRAuma-Related Disorders Questionnaire</i> (ETRAD-Q; Monette et al., Monette et al., Assessment 29:556–571, 2022).</p> Results <p>Results revealed significant correlations between the presence of RAD symptoms and multiple prior care placement moves, later separation from the birth family, exposure to deprivation experiences, greater exposure to risk factors in the birth family, adoption by a single parent, and older age at adoption placement (all <i>p</i> &lt; .05). No pre-adoption and adoption experiences were significantly correlated with DSED (all <i>p</i> &gt; .05). In the regression model, the number of care placement moves significantly predicted RAD symptoms, even when controlling for other pre-adoption and adoption-related variables (<i>p</i> &lt; .001).</p> Conclusions <p>These findings highlight the role of pre-adoption experiences in the attachment difficulties faced by adopted children and emphasize the importance of early identification and prompt intervention to reduce the risk of psychopathology.</p>

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Pre-adoption Experiences and Attachment Disorders in Portuguese Adopted Children

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2025年11月15日

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  • Luísa Pereira,
  • Joana Baptista,
  • Eunice Magalhães,
  • Joana Soares,
  • Maria Barbosa Ducharne

摘要

Background

According to the DSM-5, attachment disorders can be categorized as two distinct types: Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD) and Disinhibited Social Engagement Disorder (DSED). The literature has suggested that children who have experienced emotional and social care deprivation tend to show signs of these disorders. Thus, attachment is a central topic in adopted children.

Objective

The present study aims to explore the relationship between pre-adoption experiences and attachment disorders of adopted Portuguese children.

Method

Seventy-eight adoptive parents (75.6% mothers) of children aged 3 to 11 (59% boys), who had been adopted on average for 4.3 years, participated in this study. RAD and DSED symptoms were assessed with the translated and adapted Portuguese version of the Early TRAuma-Related Disorders Questionnaire (ETRAD-Q; Monette et al., Monette et al., Assessment 29:556–571, 2022).

Results

Results revealed significant correlations between the presence of RAD symptoms and multiple prior care placement moves, later separation from the birth family, exposure to deprivation experiences, greater exposure to risk factors in the birth family, adoption by a single parent, and older age at adoption placement (all p < .05). No pre-adoption and adoption experiences were significantly correlated with DSED (all p > .05). In the regression model, the number of care placement moves significantly predicted RAD symptoms, even when controlling for other pre-adoption and adoption-related variables (p < .001).

Conclusions

These findings highlight the role of pre-adoption experiences in the attachment difficulties faced by adopted children and emphasize the importance of early identification and prompt intervention to reduce the risk of psychopathology.