Parenting Styles and Attributions and the Behavior of Children in the "No" Stage in Adoptive and Biological Families

In a search for reasons why older adopted children are reported to have more problems than biological children, parents of an internationally adopted toddler in the "No" stage were compared with biological parents and their toddlers. Mothers and fathers responded to questionnaires pertaining to their attributions concerning child behavior, their child-rearing styles and practices, and their daughters' problems. Results showed that adoptive parents made as many positive attributions about children's behavior and reported fewer child problems than did biological parents. They agreed about child-rearing styles and practices and parental responsibility for children's negative behavior. Most parents endorsed authoritative parenting. Few differences between the two groups emerged. The higher incidence of psychological problems found among older adoptees does not appear to have roots in the "No" stage. (C) 2006 by The Haworth Press, Inc. All rights reserved.