Adoption Breakdown in Spain: A Survival and Age-Related Analysis. (February 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Paniagua, Carmen; Palacios, Jesús; Jiménez-Morago, Jesús M.; Rivera, Francisco
• Other Names: Palacios Jesús guest-editor.; Rolock Nancy guest-editor.
• Is Part Of: Research on social work practice. Volume 29:Number 2(2019)
• Page Start: 176
• Page End: 184
• Publication Date: 2019-02
• Subjects: adoption breakdown -- adoption disruption -- placement age; Social service -- Periodicals; 361.3205
• DOI: 10.1177/1049731518791037
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1049-7315

Abstract

Purpose: The two goals of this article are the analysis of the duration of adoptive placements ending in breakdown and the role of age at placement in the breakdown experience. Method: All known cases of adoption breakdown during a whole decade in Andalusia, a Spanish region, were studied. Preadoption and formalized adoptions, domestic and intercountry adoptions were included. Data were analyzed using survival analysis, Cox regression, χ 2, and rate ratio analyses. Results: The duration of adoptive placements ending in breakdown, significantly shorter in intercountry adoptions, is associated with a configuration of characteristics in the child, the adoptive parents and adoptive family life, and professional intervention. Among child-related factors, age at placement is of special relevance for the breakdown experience. Conclusions: Placements involving older children last less and break down more frequently, but are not condemned to failure. They need to be better supported with protective factors compensating the risks.