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Self esteem and family attitude concerning the adopted individual
Barker, Elizabeth Ann
Barker, Elizabeth Ann
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Abstract
The purpose of this study was to measure objectively whether or not there was a significant difference in the self esteem and family attitude scores between adopted and nonadopted individuals. The study also assessed whether or not there was significant differences in the incidents of physical or sexual abuse for adopted and non adopted individuals, whether or not there was significant differences on self esteem and family attitude scores for those adopted before and after age three. Another purpose was to determine if there was a significant difference between adoptees who searched for birthparents and those who didn't on both the family attitude and self esteem scales.
The subjects consisted of college age students from a midwestern city, persons who attended adoption support groups in other midwestern towns, along with personal contacts. The nonadopted and adopted samples were selected from this population.
The Coopersmith Self Esteem Inventory by Coopersmith was used to determine the self concept of the individuals who participated in the study. The Family Attitude Scale was developed by the author and her advisor to determine the family attitudes of the adopted and nonadopted persons. An analysis of variance was used to decide if there were significant differences between the mean scores of adoptees, nonadopted persons, searching adoptees and non searching adoptees, and those adopted before age three and those adopted after age three, along with the incidents of sexual and/or physical abuse.
The findings of the study were: 1 ) there was a significant difference between the adopted and nonadopted group on the CSEI and the FAS, 2) there was not a significant difference in the rates of physical and/or sexual abuse, 3) there was not a significant difference between the adoptees who searched and those who did not search on the CSEI and the FAS, 4) there was not a significant difference between those adopted before age three and those adopted after age three on the CSEI, 5) there was a significant difference between those adopted before age three and those adopted after age three on the FAS.
Description
M.S. Ed. University of Kansas, Counseling Psychology 1994
Date
1994-05-31
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University of Kansas
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Keywords
Adopted children, Self esteem