The effects of global severe privation on cognitive competence: Extension and longitudinal follow-up

The current study extends previous research on a sample of children adopted into the United Kingdom following severe early deprivation and a compariso n sample of nondeprived, within-country, early adoptees. We assessed 165 ch ildren adopted from Romania and 52 U.K. adoptees at age 6 years. Longitudin al data (at age 4 and 6 years) were available on 111 Romanian adoptees plac ed into U.K. homes before 24 months of age and on all U.K. adoptees. Result s indicated that there was considerable catch-up among late-placed Romanian children from entry into the United Kingdom to age 6, but as a group they exhibited lower cognitive scores and general developmental impairment compa red with earlier adopted Romanian children. In addition, the resilience sug gested at the assessment at age 4 years was maintained longitudinally, but there was no further evidence of catch-up or recovery.