Parent Education in International Adoption Regarding Communication Development
File(s)
Date
2016Author
Opolka, Meghan R.
Publisher
University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, College of Professional Studies
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
International adoption is life changing for those involved, but it can also be emotionally,
mentally, and financially demanding. International adoption is a process that requires a
tremendous amount of education. Children who are adopted from other countries face language
acquisition challenges that are unlike any others. Children adopted at very young ages, are
exposed to their native language and then experience an abrupt period of language termination at
the time of adoption. The child is then placed in an environment where he or she must begin to
acquire a second first language (Glennen, 2002), even though the child never developed mastery
of their first language. Children who are adopted at older ages face further language challenges
because they must become proficient with a new language while losing proficiency in their first,
all while preparing for school. Internationally adopted children also face emotional and cultural
adjustments when arriving in a new country with a new family. There are a significant amount of
variables that can play a role in the success of acquiring a new language, and only by educating
prospective parents will this process become easier. This project is a mixed methods study with
responses from electronic surveys, and qualitative phone interviews investigating the education
parents receive prior to and post international adoption regarding communication development.
The research study was approved by the Institutional Review Board for the Protection of Human
Subjects at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. Findings from this study demonstrated
the high importance of education regarding communication development prior to and post
international adoption. The results of this study showed the lack of communication development
education throughout the international adoption process. Further research is needed to identify
specific topics within communication development that are most beneficial to international
adoptions.