Biobehavioral Study of Recently Adopted Children

2-year cohort study evaluated how stress related changes in the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis are associated with changes in linear growth, neurocognitive, and behavioral measures in adopted children. Children adopted from Eastern Europe and Russia and controls (children) were enrolled. Adopted children had significant deficits in growth, cognitive, and developmental measurements compared to controls that improved; however residual deficits remained. Family cohesiveness and expressiveness were protective influences, associated with less behavioral problems, while family conflict and greater emphasis on rules were associated with greater risk for executive dysfunction.