Transition in to the Family Research Study
The International Adoption Project at the University of Minnesota is currently enrolling participants for the Transition into the Family Study. This is a research project examining young children’s adaptation and development following international adoption, as well as the family experiences post-adoption that support the child during this time of transition and decrease subsequent risk of emotional and attention problems.
Eligible participants are families with a toddler who will be or has recently been adopted internationally, and who spent at least some time living in an orphanage or institution overseas. Children may be eligible for participation if they are between 18 - 36 months of age and were adopted less than 3 months before beginning the study, or if they are between 26 - 44 months of age and were adopted 8-10 months before beginning the study.
This research study will continue to enroll new participants from summer 2008 – summer 2011.
If you are interested in participating in the Transition Study, please join the registry. If you have questions or would like more information, please contact Meg Bale at balex002@umn.edu or 612-624-9322.
Genes and Resilience Study
This is a study of internationally adopted children who will be 8-13 from 2008-2013.
This study will be looking at memory and learning in internationally-adopted children. In particular, we are trying to understand the wide range of resilience in these children. This study is designed to examine whether variants of specific genes that are known to affect the brain's resilience, and thus learning and memory, might partially explain the wide range of functioning among these children. The genes we will examine include BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor), a gene that regulates a protein involved in brain growth and repair. We may also examine genes that are involved in regulating two of the brain’s major neurotransmitter systems: serotonin and dopamine. On their own, none of these genes can be directly linked to any psychiatric diagnosis or learning disability, but we will examine how these genes in combination with children's pre-adoption care may predict their later learning and memory.
The study has two phases. All families will be invited for Phase I, in which you would be asked to complete a packet of questionnaires and collect and mail back a sample of your child's saliva for gene assay. It is possible that we will also invite your child to complete a computer task assessing memory and learning over a secure internet website. When your child is 12-13 years old, you might be invited to take part in Phase II of this study. If you are invited and agree to Phase II, you and your child would come to the University of Minnesota twice. During those visits, you and your child would complete further questionnaires and participate in structured interviews of your child's emotional and physical health. Your child would also participate in IQ testing, and in a test of memory and learning while undergoing an MRI scan. The scan allows us to "see" how the brain works when it is solving problems. Additionally, we would ask girls to provide us with saliva to measure estradiol, because estrogen protects nerve cells, in part, through affecting how BDNF acts on nerve cells. Families are compensated for their efforts.
As always, all information we collect will be strictly confidential. Given the sensitivity of genetic information, we have added layers of confidentiality to this particular information. Gene data will never be directly linked to you or your child's personal information.
All of the participants for this study will be recruited from the MN IAP registry. If your family might be interested in participating, please join the registry.
Families on the registry who fit criteria for this study will be contacted about participating. Naturally, your family can always decline to participate when contacted by the IAP team.
"International adoption brings children with varied backgrounds into our state and as professionals who care for children we need to understand the whole range of experiences they bring to their families.
Dr. Dana Johnson, Co-investigator
"The IAP allows us ask and seek to answer some of the challenging and overlooked questions that confront adoptive families, from how to raise a child of a different race and ethnicity to how a child's brain works. "
Dr. Rich Lee, Co-investigator
As a parent of children adopted from another country, I’m excited about the groundbreaking research initiatives of the IAP. Important studies are underway that enhances our knowledge and understanding of children from around the globe whom we’ve chosen to include in our families.
Patti Bower, IAP Parent Advisory Board Member
IAP researchers are busting myths, learning new facts, and exploring uncharted territory in the field of child development – all for the benefit of orphaned children, adoptive families, and those considering international adoption.
Patti Bower, IAP Parent Advisory Board Member
As parents (and prospective parents) of internationally adopted children, we have an unprecedented opportunity to help further vital research by volunteering to include our own children in IAP studies. No one else can provide access to children who meet the study criteria, our participation is crucial.
Patti Bower, IAP Parent Advisory Board Member
Please consider joining the IAP’s registry of adoptive families. By partnering with the IAP, we can play a key role in developing valuable scholarly resources for the adoption community in the years ahead.
Patti Bower, IAP Parent Advisory Board Member
I was eight years old when I came to the US to join my new family. My parents didn’t understand why I acted the way I did. I also didn’t understand why they didn’t understand me. I think all of the testing I did will one day help parents understand a kid like me in a different way, I’m glad I had a chance to play a part.
Katia, 18 years old
Some of the testing I did was boring and some were cool. I did one test where I chewed gum and then spit in a little bottle. I also did tests where I played games I think all of the testing I did will one day help parents understand a kid like me in a different way, I’m glad I had a chance to play a part.
Katia, 18 years old
Working with children who joined their families through international adoption has proven to be some of the most challenging and gratifying research of my career.
Dr. Megan Gunnar, Principal Investigator
The IAP allows us ask and seek to answer some of the challenging and overlooked questions that confront adoptive families, from how to raise a child of a different race and ethnicity to how a child's brain works.
Dr. Rich Lee, Co-investigator
International adoption brings children with varied backgrounds into our state and as professionals who care for children we need to understand the whole range of experiences they bring to their families.
Dr. Dana Johnson, Co-investigator