Competence of children adopted from the former Soviet Union

The former USSR led the way with the most children adopted from overseas in to the United Stares from 1997-1999. This study (a) characterizes overall f unctioning of adoptees and (b) utilizes hierarchical regression analysis to evaluate both risks and protective influences of adoptive families and the ir relationships to child competence. Competence levels ranged from challen ged to developmentally normal. Family cohesion and expressiveness were sign ificantly associated with higher levels of child competence.