3900 Article Review

1. ARTICLE REVIEW 1
Article Review
Alison Bullock
Department of Family and Consumer Science, University of Georgia
HDFS 3900: Prenatal and Infant Development
Stephanie Whitten
September 28, 2022

2. ARTICLE REVIEW 2
Article Citation:
Tung, I., Christian, B. A. S., Langley, A. K., & Waterman, J. M. (2020). Developmental
outcomes of infants adopted from foster care: Predictive associations from perinatal and
preplacement risk factors. Infancy, 25(1), 84–109. https://doi.org/10.1111/infa.12319
Literature Review
The article mentioned above focuses on a study that looked at the associations between
perinatal risk factors and developmental outcomes among a diverse sample of approximately 100
infants in foster care. The sample of children were placed into adoptive homes between the ages
of zero and nineteen months and the impact of their age at placement on their development was
looked at in the study as well. The perinatal risk factors that were observed in this study included
prenatal substance exposure, prematurity, low birthweight, and negative health. The study
hypothesized that each perinatal risk factor would predict lower cognitive, language, and motor
skills at baseline, with expectation that progress in each of these developmental categories would
improve between the baseline and one year follow-up. An additional hypothesis was that
perinatal risks would have the strongest impact on boys placed in adoptive homes after one year
of age (Tung et al., 2020).
In prior studies, it has been evident that infants adopted from foster care are often
affected by prenatal substance exposure and perinatal risks, specifically prematurity and low
birthweight. However, only a few of those past studies have examined how those risk factors
impact infant development over time and longitudinally. The topic this study focuses on is
important because the majority of children in the foster care system are exposed to several risk
factors prenatally and within their first year of life (Tung et al., 2020). This is a present-day

3. ARTICLE REVIEW 3
issue. Today, there seems to be a common fear of adopting children with physical,
developmental, or emotional disabilities (Tung et al., 2020). This fear has the ability to halt
adoptions of children whose developmental disabilities could be reversed by an intervention such
as adoption into a nurturing environment.
Methods
The participants from this study included the families of 97 infants recruited through the
UCLA TIES for Families program. To be eligible for the study, it was required for the children
to have been placed into adoptive homes for less than two months and to have been younger than
two years of age at the time of the placement. The participants completed the Bayley Scales of
Infant and Toddler Development assessment at baseline and again at a one-year follow up (Tung
et al., 2020). This assessment is commonly used to assess developmental outcomes for infants
and toddlers. The independent variable in the study was the perinatal risk factors, including
prenatal substance exposure, low birthweight, and prematurity. The dependent variables were the
outcomes across time in cognitive, language, and motor development. All data was analyzed
using sample t-tests and paired-sample t-tests. Developmental testing, T1, was assessed for each
child placed in an adoptive home and the Division of Family and Children Services provided
additional data including each child’s preplacement history, including prenatal substance
exposure, birthweight, and gestational age. Afterwards, a parallel follow-up assessment was
completed for each child one year after their adoptive placement (Tung et al., 2020).
Results – Discussion

4. ARTICLE REVIEW 4
The results from this study showed that low birthweight is positively correlated with
premature birth and length of hospital stay, which is also directly correlated with lower cognitive
outcomes (Tung et al., 2020). Results from the study also showed that language scores had
improved significantly between the first assessment and the follow up assessment. This is
referred to as the catch-up effect and shows how being in a stable environment can improve
development (Tung et al., 2020). Other associations showed that the age at which a child is
placed into an adoptive home can directly impact motor development. Infants placed in adoptive
homes after one year of age showed less improvement developmentally than those placed in
adoptive homes younger than a year old. Overall, the results proved that adoption serves as an
early intervention to high-risk infants in foster care. Adoption is an intervention that is helpful in
buffering the impact of prenatal risk factors on developmental outcomes, both short term and
long term (Tung et al., 2020).
Implications for Working with Infants and Toddlers
Children in foster care are spread out among broader communities, neighborhoods,
schools, and churches. I believe it is important for the individuals working and involved in those
settings to be aware about how exposure to unhealthy perinatal circumstances can impact a
child’s development long term. Although there are physical interventions available, it is also
important to show grace and patience to children who may be at a disadvantage. Being educated
on this topic can be beneficial in many ways. Teachers, friends, and parents can benefit from
knowing how to support a child who may be struggling developmentally and need assistance.
Application to Future Profession

5. ARTICLE REVIEW 5
In the future, I hope to work for a foster care agency advocating on behalf of families and
children. As someone who will be working directly with infants and toddlers in foster care,
having knowledge regarding their development and how their circumstances can affect their
development will be extremely applicable. In order to properly advocate for children, I believe it
is important to be educated on what is a risk for them, how it can impact them, and how either
reunification or adoption could be best for their long-term development.