A qualitative study was conducted in Butterworth, in the rural Eastern Cape Province of South Africa, to explore sources of distress for young people. Semi-structured, individual in-depth interviews were conducted with 16 men and 24 women aged 16-22 years. The findings revealed interconnections between structural factors such as death, poverty,…

This study examined correlates and predictors of parenting stress among internationally adopting (IA) mothers with the goal of expanding the knowledge base on the experiences of adoptive parents. One hundred and forty-three IA mothers completed pre-adoption (Time 0) and six months post-adoption (Time 1) surveys with questions regarding child-,…

Purpose: Language and speech are difficult to assess in newly arrived internationally adopted children. The purpose of this study was to determine if assessments completed when toddlers were first adopted could predict language outcomes at age 2. Local norms were used to develop early intervention guidelines that were evaluated against age 2…

Growing from a study of commercially produced books published since 1972 that appeared to be nonsexist or role free, this publication contains critical annotations of 193 picture books. The selections include stories of nonwhite cultures, single-parent homes, and women in nontraditional work roles and deal with diverse experiences such as…

As part of their efforts to help the child welfare system develop integrated strategies, approaches, and policies that assist agencies as they recruit and prepare foster families, adoptive families, and staff to meet the needs of adolescents in foster care, the National Resource Center for Youth Development engaged in a year-long study of child…

This study tested the hypothesis that adopted adolescents have lower self-esteem than do non-adopted adolescents. Male and female students (N=159) between the ages of 18 and 22 were conveniently sampled from college undergraduate populations. Forty-four of the participants reported adoptive status. Each participant completed the Coopersmith…

This paper looks at three parties impacted by adoption: the adoptive parents, the adopted child, and the adoptive family. When working with adoptive parents, counselors should respect the strength of the couple, their commitment to parenthood, and the closeness that may develop from weathering the issue of childlessness. Adoptive parents are…

The present study was conducted to investigate differences in nurturant fathering, father involvement, and young adult psychosocial functioning among small samples of three nontraditional family forms. A total of 168 young-adult university students from three family forms (27 adoptive, 22 adoptive stepfather, 119 nonadoptive stepfather) completed…

This compilation reprints the texts of 22 federal laws relating to child welfare, especially child abuse prevention and treatment, drug abuse prevention, and education of children with disabilities. The compilation includes: Abandoned Infants Assistance Act of 1988; Act of March 3, 1879 (American Printing House for the Blind); Act of August 12,…

Noting the importance of identifying the effectiveness of child welfare programs for future policy planning, this book examines features of successful programs. The book is presented in six sections: family preservation and family support services, child protective services, out-of-home care, adoption, child care, and adolescent services. Each…

To focus on the developmental uniquenesses of the American Indian child and its implications for supportive care, custody, placement and adoption was one of the major goals of this conference. Attendees addressed the growing concern among Indian communities over the loss of their children and the lack of child welfare services which would preserve…

This paper explores the principal features of nonlinear dynamical systems and applies the theory to parents' acceptance of a child adopted at an older age. Although family systems theories tend to be weak in addressing family change, chaos theory and catastrophe theory allow consideration of sudden, discontinuous change. If stable, the family may…

This paper examines the role that public policy and practice play in supporting the efforts of natural, adoptive, and foster families who have children and youth with disabilities in keeping their families intact. Obstacles and barriers to implementing the philosophy of permanence planning, especially for children and youth with disabilities, are…

Major changes are taking place in western families which affect the way professionals interact with families. Drawing on a multidisciplinary team of scholars, this book presents a synthesis of the demographic, theoretical, and research data on the various permutations of the single parent family. Topics include economics, single custodial or…

The 12th Annual Building on Family Strengths Conference was held from June 23rd through June 25th 2005 in Portland, Oregon. Highlights included: (1) An information-packed keynote address by Dr. Richard M. Lerner on promoting positive youth development through enhancing the assets of communities; (2) An exciting research plenary panel session that…