Adopted children's language difficulties and their relation to symptoms of reactive attachment disorder: FinAdo study

: Raaska H, Elovainio M, Sinkkonen J, Stolt S, Jalonen I, Matomaki J, Makipaa S, Lapinleimu H

Publisher: ELSEVIER SCIENCE INC

: 2013

: Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology

: JOURNAL OF APPLIED DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY

: J APPL DEV PSYCHOL

: 3

: 34

: 3

: 152

: 160

: 9

: 0193-3973

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appdev.2012.12.003

This study investigated the potential association between symptoms of reactive attachment disorder and language difficulties among internationally adopted children in Finland (the FinAdo study). The language difficulties were assessed using a standardised Five to Fifteen (FTF) parental questionnaire and the symptoms of reactive attachment disorder using a FinAdo questionnaire. The study sample consisted of 689 6-15 year old children (49.2% boys, response rate 48%). Twenty-nine percent of the children were reported to have language difficulties and 8% severe language difficulties (10% and 2%, respectively, in the general population). A child's symptoms of reactive attachment disorder were associated with language difficulties and severe language difficulties. OR 2.15, 95% CI [1.39, 3.31] and OR 4.33, 95% CI [1.57, 11.98], respectively, the associations being robust to adjustments for background factors. (C) 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.