Articles

The Early Growth and Development Study: A Prospective Adoption Study From Birth Through Middle Childhood

Leslie D. Leve^a1 c1, Jenae M. Neiderhiser^a2, Daniel S. Shaw^a3, Jody Ganiban^a4, Misaki N. Natsuaki^a5 and David Reiss^a6

^a1 Oregon Social Learning Center, Eugene, OR, USA

^a2 Department of Psychology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA

^a3 Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA

^a4 Center for Family Research, George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA

^a5 Department of Psychology, University of California, Riverside, CA, USA

^a6 Yale Child Study Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA

Abstract

The Early Growth and Development Study is a prospective adoption study of birth parents, adoptive parents, and adopted children recruited in two cohorts (N = 561 triads). The primary study aims are to examine how family, peer, and contextual processes affect children's adjustment, and to examine their interplay (mediation, moderation) with genetic influences. Participants were recruited through adoption agencies located throughout the United States following the birth of a child. Assessments are ongoing, in 9-month intervals until the child reaches 3 years of age and in 1-year intervals thereafter through age 9. Data collection includes the following primary constructs: child temperament, social behavior, school performance, mental health, and health; birth and adoptive parent personality characteristics, mental health, competence, stress, health, context, substance use, parenting, and marital relations; and pregnancy use of drugs and maternal stress during pregnancy. DNA and salivary cortisol samples have also been collected. Analyses have indicated evidence for genotype-environment interactions during early childhood. Study procedures, sample representativeness (including tests of potential confounds in the adoption design), and an overview of findings to date are summarized, and future plans are described.

(Received September 02 2012)

(Accepted October 23 2012)

(Online publication December 07 2012)

Keywords:

• adoption;
• childhood;
• longitudinal;
• genetic;
• parenting;
• birth parent

Correspondence:

^c1 address for correspondence: Leslie D. Leve, Oregon Social Learning Center, 10 Shelton McMurphey Blvd., Eugene, OR 97401-4928. E-mail: lesliel@oslc.org