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The Developmental Competence of Young Adult Adoptees

DeLuca, Haylee
http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2383-7359
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent153132579637419

Abstract Details

2018, PHD, Kent State University, College of Arts and Sciences / Department of Psychological Sciences.
To date, few studies have examined the outcomes of adoptees in young adulthood, including educational attainment, employment and income, and marital status and quality. Moreover, previous research used OLS regression to make comparisons between adoptees and biologically-reared individuals, yielding imprecise estimates of the long-term impact of adoption due to unaccounted for differences across groups and unequal sample sizes. In addition, previous research has not examined the long-term impact of adoption-related experiences (i.e., age at adoption, foster care experience, and type of adoption), which may explain the within-group variability in the outcomes of adoptees. The current study fills these gaps in the literature by utilizing regression and propensity score analyses to examine developmentally salient tasks of young adulthood based on adoption status and adoption-related experiences. Results suggest that adoptees and biologically-reared individuals do not differ in young adult outcomes, with the exception of educational attainment. Similarly, female adoptees did not differ significantly from their biologically-reared counterparts in young adult outcomes. However, based on regression analyses, male adoptees, as compared to males reared by biological parents, demonstrate worse outcomes in educational attainment, employment status, and romantic relationships. No statistically significant differences were observed based on adoption related experiences, with one exception: those adopted by kin demonstrated a reduced likelihood of being employed full time than those adopted by non-relatives. This study offers a more nuanced understanding of the long-term effects of adoption and adoption-related experiences, which informs future research and theory on the adjustment of adoptees in young adulthood.
Manfred van Dulmen (Advisor)
209 p.
Psychobiology
Adoptees, young adulthood, educational attainment, employment, romantic relationships

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • DeLuca, H. (2018). The Developmental Competence of Young Adult Adoptees [Doctoral dissertation, Kent State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent153132579637419

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • DeLuca, Haylee. The Developmental Competence of Young Adult Adoptees. 2018. Kent State University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent153132579637419.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • DeLuca, Haylee. "The Developmental Competence of Young Adult Adoptees." Doctoral dissertation, Kent State University, 2018. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent153132579637419

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

kent153132579637419
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© 2018, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by Kent State University and OhioLINK.