Table 1.

Sociodemographic Characteristics of Adoptive and Birth Samples

	Adoptive (n=31)		Birth (n=31)
	M	SD	M	SD	Group comparisons
Infant
Age (days)	164.81	7.82	163.55	5.55	t (60) = .73, ns, d = .19
Days with mother since birth	157.77	11.24	163.55	5.55	t (60) = −2.57, p < .05, d = .66
Birth weight (g)	3355.81	455.10	3618.52	514.48	t (60) = −2.13, p < .05, d = .55
Newborn adjustment b	1.48	0.93	2.03	1.14	t (60) = −2.08, p < .05, d =.54
Number of neonatal difficulties c	0.68	0.70	1.62	0.94	t (58) = −4.42, p < .001, d = 1.16
Infant schedule d	5.57	0.90	5.35	1.20	t (59) = .78, ns, d = .20
Mother
Sociodemographic variables
Age (at birth)	36.60	4.71	34.55	3.73	t (60) = 1.90, ns, d = .49
Education (Hollingshead) e	6.45	0.72	6.52	0.68	t (60) = −.36, ns, d = .09
SES (Hollingshead)	59.56	5.79	60.29	5.16	t (60) = −.52, ns, d = .13
Years employed before infant’s arrival	14.48	5.43	12.03	4.64	t (60) = 1.91, ns, d = .49
Hours of employment/wk at 5 mos f	28.40	12.49	35.16	8.93	t (37) = −1.94, ns, d = .64
Context variables
Satisfaction with role balance g	4.10	0.94	4.00	1.02	t (57) = .38, ns, d = .10
Childcare: Quality h	1.98	1.18	1.79	0.89	t (57) = .71, ns, d = .19
Childcare: Type i	4.62	2.99	4.67	3.13	t (57) = −.06, ns, d = .15
Fertility problem j	0.93	0.26	0.24	0.44	t (45.49) = 7.34, p < .001, d = 2.18 a
Pregnancy losses k	1.20	1.47	0.34	0.81	t (45.54) = 2.77, p < .01, d = .82 a
Difficulty becoming a parent l	3.58	1.63	2.34	1.32	t (56.84) = 3.24, p < .01, d = .86 a
Social support: Spouse m	3.34	0.51	3.16	.99	t (44.57) = .89, ns, d = .27 a
Social support: Extended family n	1.51	0.79	1.55	0.81	t (60) = −.21, ns, d = .05
Social support: Community o	2.08	0.65	1.77	0.81	t (60) = 1.69, ns, d = .44

Note. Group comparisons were performed on transformed means as necessary; in only one case (social support from the community) were t-test results different with transformed and untransformed data; thus, all data in the table (M, SDs) and t-tests are presented using untransformed data. (Support from the community differed significantly for the two groups when transformed data were used, t(60) = 2.43, p < .05, d = .63; this difference was marginally significant when untransformed data were used.)

^aAdjusted for unequal variance.

^bMaternal report of baby’s difficulty “settling in” during the first month at home using a 5-point scale (1=Very easy, 5=Very difficult).

^cMean of maternal report of presence (1)/absence (0) of adjustment difficulty in the first month in 10 areas (e.g., feeding, sleeping).

^dSum of 2 3-point scales; higher score indicates that scheduling was more dictated by infant demand (range=2–6).

^e7-point Hollingshead (1975) education scale (1=Less than 7^th grade, 6=College or university graduate, 7=Graduate professional training).

^fIncludes only those mothers who were working at that time.

^gFive-point scale of maternal satisfaction with balance of parent/employed worker roles (1=Very dissatisfied, 5=Very satisfied).

^hNumber of disruptions in childcare during the first 6 months.

ⁱThe sum of weighted scores for the different types of childcare used in the first 6 months; A higher score is less optimal. For ease of interpretation, data shown are based on standardized scores.

^jMaternal report of presence (1)/absence (0) of fertility problems during the effort to start a family.

^kMaternal report of number of pregnancies that did not result in a live birth.

^lMaternal report of perceived difficulty becoming a parent on a 5-point scale (1=Very easy and not frustrating, 5=Very difficult and frustrating).

^mMaternal report of spouse’s helpfulness to her in her role as a parent (0=Little or no help, 4=Very helpful).

ⁿMean maternal report of helpfulness to her in her role as a parent by maternal grandmother, paternal grandmother, and other relatives (0=Little or no help, 4=Very helpful).

^oMean maternal report of helpfulness to her in her role as a parent by friends, organized groups, pediatrician, and others (0=Little or no help, 4=Very helpful).