Table 5.
Peer Relationships
| Study | Country of origin | Severity of deprivation | Age at assessment | N | Construct measured | Outcome measure | Age at adoption: Distribution | Age at adoption: Measurement | Statistical test | Significant effect of age at adoption? | Form of the relationship? | Relationship with other variables? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Positive Results | ||||||||||||
| Barcons, Abrines, Brun, Sartini, Fumadó, & Marre (2012) | Multiple | — | 8–11y | 116 | social stress | BASC subscale (self-report) | 1–103m; M = 30.61m, SD = 21.94m | continuous | linear regression | yes | — | — |
| Multiple | — | 8–11y | 116 | interpersonal relations with peers | BASC subscale (self-report) | 1–103m; M = 30.61m, SD = 21.94m | continuous | linear regression | yes | — | — | |
| Cederblad, Höök, Irhammer, & Merke (1999) | Multiple | — | 13–27y | 147 | relations to others | Self-esteem questionnaire ‘I think I am’ (self-report) | 54% < 7m; 30% > 1y | < 6m, > 6m; | — | yes | — | — |
| O’Connor, Rutter, & The ERA Study Team (2000) | Romania | Globally depriving | 6y | 165 | peer relationship disturbance | parent interview | 58 < 6m, 59 6–24m, 48 > 24m | continuous | correlation | yes | — | mediated by attachment disturbance |
| Rutter, Sonuga-Barke, Beckett, Castle, Kreppner, Kumsta, Schlotz, Stevens, & Bell (2010) | Romania | Globally depriving | 6y, 11y, 15y | 144 | peer difficulties | Rutter/SDQ subscales (parent & teacher-report) | 58 < 6m, 59 6–24m, 48 > 24m | < 6m, > 6m | chisquare; ANOVA | yes, for parent and teacher report | — | significant at all ages at assessment, but significant interaction with age at assessment: problems increase from 6y to 11y, no further increase from 11y to 15y; evidence of mediation by DSP |
| Mixed Results | ||||||||||||
| Nielsen, Coleman, Guinn, & Robb (2004) | Ug and a | Various levels of deprivation | 1–3y | 33 | time spent with peers, adults, or alone | observation of free play | 3m–3y; M = 1.5y, SD = .67y1 | < 1y, 1–2y, 2–3y1 | MANCOVA | yes: only for interaction | — | interaction between duration of institutionalization and contact with relatives; spent more time with another child if < 1y in institution and contact with relatives, or 2–3y in institution and no contact with relatives |
| Null Results | ||||||||||||
| Rutter Kreppner, & O’Connor (2001) | Romania | Globally depriving | 6y | 144 | peer difficulties | Rutter parent and teacher scales; parent interview | 58 < 6m, 59 6–24m, 48 > 24m | < 6m, 6–24m, > 24m | chisquare trends | no | — | — |
| Age at admission: Distribution | Age at admission: Measurement | Significant effect of age at admission? | — | — | ||||||||
| Vorria, Wolkind, Rutter, Pickles, & Hobsbaum (1998b) | Greece | Socially-emotionally depriving | 9–11y | 41 | peer relationships | parent interview | half admitted around 5–6y, 16 admitted before 3.5y | < 3.5y, 3.5y–5.5y, > 5.5y | — | no | — | — |
Note. Age at adoption findings are listed above age at admission findings. Within age at adoption section, top section includes positive results, middle section includes mixed results, and bottom section includes null results.
BASC = Behavior Assessment System for Children SDQ = Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, DSP = Deprivation-specific psychological patterns, m = months, y = years
1
This study assessed children who were still institutionalized, so duration of institutionalization was assessed rather than age at adoption