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Reasons you Need a Psychological Evaluation to Adopt
Ignorance is not bliss. Don’t leave anything to chance!
Need a Psychological Evaluation in Order to Adopt?
So, the Adoption Agency Wants you to Get a Psychological Evaluation- Can you Pass?
Article Summary: Want to adopt a child? Find out the nitty-gritty about why you have to get a psychological evaluation in this fascinating article!
Reasons you Need a Psychological Evaluation to Adopt-from Lake in the Hills, McHenry, Hoffman Estates and Algonquin, IL
When it comes to starting a family, many of us may have dreams about the kind of parent we hope to be and how we will ensure our child feels happy and loved at all times. When it comes to adopting a child, these thoughts will often work in a different way as we not only long for a child, but we long to adopt a child and expand our family.
Adoption is often a long and lengthy process, but without the thoroughness being in place, the safety and happiness of the adoptive children may be at risk. That is why prospective adoptive parents must usually complete and pass a psychological evaluation.
But other reasons are also relevant. First, there is the need to be able to understand your personality and reasons and events which have led to you becoming the person you are today.
Life-changing traumas or events may have had a specific impact on your development as a person and could have affected your coping skills when it comes to parenting issues. Also, the psychological evaluation will help to evaluate your overall emotional state.
After all, stress can cause past memories to return, occasionally with serious consequences. Next, there is the need to assess the kind of family you have come from and its influence upon your current emotional status.
The testing must assess your immediate family and its compatibility with the presence of an adoptive child. Aspects of your family situation such as its values and problem-solving skills are important as they will help determine how the child will be raised and into what kind of environment he will live.
Your relationship with your partner is extremely important also because becoming a parent is the start of a new relationship between you and the child and the effectiveness of parenting is as much about team work with your spouse as it is about how much you both love and care for the child. You will be evaluated on the strength of your relationship and the way in which you solve problems as a couple.
Your medical history is also important because there are some conditions and illnesses which will be incompatible for you adopting. Many of those who suffer from cancer, diabetes or autoimmune disorders will not be able to adopt due to the limits of their physical capabilities.
Without a comprehensive evaluation, these types of conditions could go unnoticed. Your evaluation will also ferret-out any psychological disorders you have had or from which you are currently suffering.
For obvious reasons, those who suffer from substance abuse or serious mood disorders will not be qualified to adopt; this rule may also apply to those who suffer from serious anxiety, depression or bipolar disorders. You will also need to be honest about any criminal record which you may have.
Minor crimes may not affect your chances of adoption, but must be disclosed nonetheless. This is because a psychological evaluation is designed to ferret-out a couple who wish to adopt for the wrong reasons.
Such a couple may not correctly look after the child. In sum, the main reason why you are required to submit to a pre-adoptive psychological evaluation is to ensure that your adopted child will be thoroughly loved, looked after and kept safe.
Remember, adoption is primarily about finding the right home for the child so he can grow up and be provided with a rewarding and satisfying life. By submitting to psychological evaluations, the odds are that adopted children will not only be placed into excellent homes, but that there adoptive parents will be made more confident of their ability to look after their new children.
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Article Summary: Want to adopt a baby? Read this article and discover all the reasons why you will need to get a psychological evaluation to prevent disaster!
Adopting a Baby? Why you have to Get a Psychological Evaluation-from Cary, Algonquin and Arlington Heights
Bringing a child into one’s family is a beautiful experience. It helps you to feel complete and, as for many parents, it also may help you feel a sense of accomplishment and joy at being able to do what you feel you were born to do. Adopting a child is a heart-warming and a joyfully unsurpassed experience, but the process can also seem hard and lengthy; many different factors need to be taken into consideration.
The process of adoption consists of many stages, one of the most important being the required psychological evaluation. This is a process which many prospective parents are required to undergo in order to be eligible to adopt.
No matter what age your adopted child may be, this is a vital stage of the adoption process. Without it, the adoption or social service agency will be unclear as to how suitable you may be to adopt. Most importantly, adoption is not just about you as prospective parents, but how well the child you may be adopting will be reared.
Children are placed for adoption for many reasons-some for reasons such as their biological parents being unable to cope with the child; others, such as the child being the victim of neglect or abuse, others including the child being orphaned and living in an orphanage in a third world country. In fact, the many instances of tragic child abuse and maltreatment which many of these children have endured has resulted in the need for close screening when it comes to choosing adoptive parents.
It is a known fact that being a parent is difficult. You are responsible for another human being and will need to care for all of their needs. As your child grows up, you will experience many different events which can be stressful at times and which you will to deal with in a suitable and appropriate manner.
Psychological evaluations are not able to completely predict how a prospective parent may behave while having a child in their care; however it will be able to increase the odds of identifying those who will be able to cope with the stresses which come from being parent, as well as any special needs your child may have as a result of being adopted.
The pre-adoptive psychological evaluation is not used merely as a tool to pry into your mind, or that of other prospective parents, and put you under a microscope. Rather, it is a means for the adoption agency to get to know you and your partner in a more in-depth way; learning about your lives both personally and professionally, as well as isolating the primary reasons you want to adopt.
This is to ensure that you are suitable for adoption and that you are adopting for the right reasons. The adoption agency wants to be safe in the knowledge that the child in question will be well looked after, and provided with all of the love and affection that he or she could want.
Becoming an adoptive parent can be a deeply stressful time, filled with uncertainty and anticipation. However, it is important to be aware that when it comes to the psychological evaluation part of the process, this is more about the child than it is about yourself and your partner.
However, when you see the day that your child is ready to come home with you, you will find that all that stress and worry will have been worth it.
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Article Summary: Most prospective adoptive parents are required to complete a psychological evaluation. Ignorance is not bliss. Don’t leave anything to chance! This article reveals the specific tests you may be required to take!
Need a Psychological Evaluation in order to Adopt? These are the Tests you Will Need to Take-from McHenry, Huntley, Schaumburg and Crystal Lake, IL
Adoption is a beautiful thing, allowing prospective parents like you to realize your dreams of having a family as well as providing a loving home to a child. If you have been researching into the process of adoption with the dreams of becoming adoptive parents, you are likely to be aware of the way in which the process works.
In order to be eligible to adopt, you and your partner, will be required to go through certain stages to ensure that you are appropriate to adopt, as well as identify what kind of child will be best suited to join your family.
Most prospective adoptive parents are required to complete a psychological evaluation in order to make this decision easier for the adoption agency. However, many may be unsure as to what specific tests they will need to take.
There are a wide range of tests which a professional may administer. These may include some or all of the following:
· Minnesota Multi-Phasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2)
· Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory III (MCMI-III)
· Various projective personality tests, including the Thematic Apperception Test (TAT)
· Personality Adult Inventory (PAI)
· 16 Personality Factor Questionnaire*
· Parent Awareness Skills Survey*
· Hare Psychopathy Checklist-R*
These tests are used as a means to create an in-depth report about yourself and your partner to determine your suitability as adoptive parents. This is to ensure that adoption is the right option for you, and to also ensure that a child will be safe in your care. Understandably, the level of child abuse and neglect cases which occur each year make the psychological evaluation process necessary.
Among other things, the tests may assess your general history, looking at your development as a person, even taking a look at your own childhood and any significant events which may have occurred in your life. The examiner will want to evaluate how they affected you as a person, including your ability to parent an adopted child.
There are some events which may have had a huge impact on your thinking and how you have shaped into an adult. In that case, the evaluator may want to touch on these subjects in more detail.
Your relationship as a couple is extremely important; how well you work together will help to show how well you will be as parents working together. You may be assessed on how you work together as a team, in particular how you solve problems together, taking into consideration the other person’s needs, opinions and feelings.
You will also be evaluated on how successful your relationship is and whether an adopted child would feel safe and loved as part of it.
The examiner may want to identify any past or current medical or psychological conditions you or your partner may have, as these could affect your ability to properly care for the child. Certainly, not all disorders rule you out, but hiding them can seriously damage your chances of being approved as adoptive parents.
Also, your general behavior and personality and the way in which your life is structured will be evaluated as to how easily it may adapt to a newly adopted child.
Although it may initially seem intimidating, the psychological evaluation is just one step which will help make your dreams of adopting a child become a reality. By using a fully qualified examiner, respecting the process and responding honestly, your chances of becoming adoptive parents will increase exponentially.
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Article Summary: Need a Psychological Evaluation in Order to Adopt? This fascinating article reveals the easiest ways to get one!
Need a Psychological Evaluation in Order to Adopt? These are some of the Easiest Ways to Get One!-from Woodstock, Algonquin, Palatine, Elgin and Barrington, IL
Across the world there are many families who long to expand their family and share all their love and warmth with someone else. However, it is important to remember that as there are families who long to add to their family, there are also thousands of children who long to become part of one.
For some couples, the ability to have their own biological children is something which comes to them with great ease. However, for others, different factors can make having children something which they may not be able to do on their own, causing much distress.
Although this can be an extremely hard thing to deal with, there are other options. Those who wish to add to their family can do so through other methods such as surrogacy, fostering and even adoption.
When considering adoption, there are many different factors of which you must be aware. It can be a long and lengthy process and because of its seriousness, there are many different stages you will need to go through in order to adopt.
One of these required stages is the psychological evaluation. In most instances, you must undergo one in order to be able to adopt a child and live your dream of a family.
Contrary to popular belief, these evaluations need not be exceedingly extensive. They are not meant to violate your privacy and to pry into your personal life, unnecessarily. Rather, they are just used to evaluate you and your partner to assess how your psychosocial functioning will affect your feelings and behavior as prospective parents.
This is to ensure the safety of any children which you may adopt, and also to help identify what kind of child would be best suited to you, for example, age and personality. The examiner also desires to ferret-out the root of why you wish to adopt.
There are several ways in which you can obtain the required psychological evaluation. The absolute best way is to retain the services of a licensed clinical psychologist. The psychologist has a doctoral degree in psychology and is the only mental health professional who receives specialized training in psychological assessment.
Once scheduled, most psychologists will explain the emotional dynamics of the adoption process and prepare you for its various stages, explaining that in some cases, it can be a lengthy and cumbersome process. The psychologist will then work cooperatively with your adoption agency and administer the psychological assessment to determine your overall suitability as an adoptive parent.
The clinical psychologist has the most experience and qualifications for administering psychological evaluations. Since no other mental health professional has the extensive expertise of the psychologist in providing these evaluations, his report will be highly respected by your agency an give you an important advantage in getting approved to adopt.
Once this assessment is complete, it will be sent to the adoption agency which will then determine if you are suitable to continue with the adoption process.
You can also obtain an evaluation by contacting a social worker. While he typically will have no formal or specialized training in providing psychological assessments, he will have a master’s degree in social work. S/he will also require a wide range of information on your history, your reasons for wanting to adopt and any other relevant information.
Again, if the social worker’s qualifications are approved by the agency, the evaluation will be used to determine whether the agency will approve you to continue the adoption process or not. Finally, if you have used the services of a psychologist for personal reasons, you may also request his help with your evaluation.
This can be extremely beneficial, especially in the case where you are using the services as a means to help overcome your feelings towards being unable to have children. With a detailed summary of your progress and your stability through the help of therapy, this will provide the adoption agency with a clear indication of your strong capability as an adoptive parent and your psychological stability in general.
Even though the psychologist is the most qualified to provide pre-adoptive evaluations, there are other professionals you can find by researching the Internet who will provide you with evaluations and the necessary documentation needed in order to continue the adoption process. These include mental health counselors, psychiatrists, family counselors and even nurses.
However, most importantly, before agreeing to use any of these professionals be sure that they are registered and that their assessment will be acknowledged by the adoption agency.
When it comes to applying to become an adoptive parent, remember that your evaluation is just one of many steps which you will have to take in order to see your dream become a reality. However, by being patient, honest and content with taking it one step at a time, you could soon see the reality of your new child arrive much sooner than you had ever expected.
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Article Summary: If you want to adopt you must pass the required psychological evaluation. This article is a must-read because it tells you exactly how to do it!
So, the Adoption Agency Wants you to Get a Psychological Evaluation- Can you Pass? -from Arlington Heights, Cary, Huntley and McHenry, IL
If you want to adopt a child, it is important that you are aware how the process works. At some point in the application process, you will need a favorable report from a mental health professional who has administered a psychological evaluation to you; this is required by most certified adoption agencies.
It may appear as just another obstacle, but such a report will make your dream of bringing a new child into your family one step closer to a reality. There are several types of mental health professionals who may be approved to provide them, but it is important to be aware that not all of them have the same expertise and qualifications.
It can be crucial, that if any dispute may arise, your report is written by the one professional with more expertise in psychological assessment than any of the others- the clinical psychologist. He holds a doctor’s degree in psychology and is the only approved professional who has had both specialized and rigorous training in psychological assessment included in his professional education.
You will then have the peace of mind in knowing that if any dispute may arise, if your report is done by a clinical psychologist, it will then be accorded the highest authority. The aim of a psychological evaluation is to determine how suitable you and your partner are to become adoptive parents.
Unfortunately, many prospective parents fret over what the correct thing to do or say may be while taking the test, which can often leave them doubtful of whether they will pass with a favorable report. In most cases, however, this anxiety is totally unnecessary.
The evaluation is not structured or made sufficiently complicated to trick or catch you in making a mistake. You and your partner will be assessed simply in terms of your ability to be parents so it‘s best to just be honest, candid and forthright in your responses-no tricks or landmines to fret over!
This is not a means to pry into your personal lives, but simply as assessment to determine whether you would be able to cope with the pressures and stresses which come with being committed parents. The worst thing you can do is appear that you’re trying too hard to create a good impression or to hide unfavorable things.
Children have been placed into the adoption system for various reasons, such as their biological parents being unable to provide for their emotional or financial needs, military, political or geological crises in third world countries, etc. Due to this, you may also be evaluated on whether you would be able to provide for certain specific needs to any children who may require them.
Your psychological evaluation will not necessarily work in a way in which there is a right and wrong answer-you are not being judged on how good a parent you may be now (if you now have children of your own), but rather how suitable you would be as a parent to a child from a different background or culture and whether you have the capability to be able to provide for such a child-not just financially but also emotionally. You will also be asked about other aspects of your life such as your work, the history of your relationship with your partner and the obvious and not so obvious reasons you are looking to adopt.
When it comes to whether you will receive a favorable report or not, one simple way to put the odds on your side is to be honest, forthright and candid with the examiner. This is not only a legal matter, but is also a matter in which you will be able to make your family complete; honesty is key in order to make this a reality.
Any information which you choose to keep from the examiner or adoption agency can seriously damage your chances of being able to adopt if that information comes to light at a later stage-even if it is not too serious. Be certain to answer all questions openly and honestly and keep yourself motivated by thinking about that new child who may be joining your family in a matter of months.
Lastly, remember that although you may interact well with the professional who conducts your evaluation, he can only present his findings; he has no hand in actually deciding if you will be able to adopt or not. In the final analysis, that’s the agency’s decision.
The prospect of a psychological evaluation can seem daunting, but when you think about the possibility of expanding your family with a new child, it really is a small sacrifice to make. By being forthright in the way in which you answer questions and being as honest as possible, you will be all the more likely to receive a favorable psychological report and soon will be welcoming that new child into your family.
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Apr 16, 2010 21:01 ET
Living in Russian adoptive limbo
What's it like being caught up in the reported hold on adoptions to the U.S.?
One woman tells all-and it can happen to prospective parents in Cary, Crystal Lake and Algonquin, Il too!
By Tracy Clark-Flory
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It came like a slug to the chest. On Thursday, Rebecca got word that Russia had indefinitely suspended all adoptions to the United States. For nearly a year, she and her military husband, Brandon, have been raising money, taking out low-interest loans, doing research, undergoing extensive background checks, hosting social workers at their home, and preparing some 60 or so signed and notarized documents — all in order to bring home a sister for their 2-year-old biological daughter.
Now, because Torry Ann Hansen of Tennessee decided last week to send back her 7-year-old adopted Russian son on an airplane by himself, their adoption is in limbo.
Rebecca and Brandon are just one of an estimated 3,000 American families currently caught up in the Russian adoption process.
Would-be adoptive families — some who have already met the children they hope to adopt — have been left to sort through conflicting reports on just where things stand. A Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Thursday that all adoptions were halted, but the Education and Science Ministry reported Friday that there was no official hold on adoptions, as did a spokesperson for the U.S. State Department.
Some clarity is expected next week after a U.S. delegation meets with Russian officials on Monday and Tuesday. Rebecca — who asked that her last name and other identifying information be withheld, out of fear that exposure could further muck up the adoption process — spoke with Broadsheet over the phone about what it's like to be caught up in the midst of this nightmare.
What has it been like for you and your husband during the media circus of the past week or so?
Adoption is a roller coaster, even without everything that's going on now — this just kind of adds to it. It's very stressful.
We had our dossier done, as much as possible; it's translated, authenticated, all of that. We had hoped to leave tomorrow, but we pushed it another week and then another week.
We finally managed to get the clearance [late yesterday] to fly, because our region [in Russia] shut down this week for a few days. We have our airline tickets now and will be leaving for Russia in about two weeks.
There have been a lot of conflicting reports about whether or not there is a hold on adoptions.
There's a lot of confusion right now. Some regions are continuing slowly with adoptions, some regions have shut everything down. Hopefully Monday, after the meeting between the U.S. State Department and Russia, there will be a bilateral agreement that comes out of that meeting.
I know people who have already been assigned court dates and have been allowed to finish out in their region. Some families were in Russia at the time [of the reported hold] and were sent home.
Some regions have shut down completely. I know three families that are in Russia right now, and they were told by a judge that until he or she received clarification, they can't take their child home.
Are you concerned that the situation could change before you're able to finalize your adoption?
I have no expectations — I mean, we may end up having to postpone the trip. I don't even think I'm thinking that far ahead. I'm just looking to Monday and playing it by ear.
If you do make the scheduled flight, what do you expect the trip to look like?
Well, we should have the weekend to recover from jet lag. Then we would typically be taken to the Ministry of Education in that region and interviewed.
They would present us with an official referral for a child, with the age, date of birth, and what their special needs are. We have specifically requested a child with special needs, which could mean they will need open-heart surgery or are HIV-positive.
If we accept that referral, they will then write an authorization for us to visit that child at the orphanage.
What is it like going into this not knowing what you're going to get? It seems like such a leap of faith.
It is a leap of faith. There's a saying that with biological children, they're born in your body, but when you adopt, they're born in your heart.
You need to realize, though, that these children do have special needs — sometimes not physical but emotional — and love alone is not enough. A lot of families see a photo of a child and fall in love, but when they get them home, reality sets in.
Bonding takes time. You provide them with food and clothing every day — that's how it starts. It can take years to really bond and feel like you love that child.
What was your initial reaction to the Hansen story?
I've seen the desperation in a lot of families that have dealt with fetal alcohol syndrome and reactive attachment disorder, but I don't have the facts on this case. We've heard bits and pieces. If she was feeling desperation, I can understand it, but the way she dealt with it was wrong. There are other avenues.
Did this story worry you about what challenges your family might face?
Not really. We really went into this with our eyes open, what with all the research we've done. We've really learned a lot; it's why we requested a special needs child.
Do you think the adoption system needs an overhaul?
Yes. It isn't just Russia, though. I really wish the State Department would take a good look at international adoption as a whole. There is so much red tape right now.
We need to get down to what is really important and make sure that we are monitoring families very closely after placement. We need more mandatory education for adoptive families.
A lot of families have a rosy picture going into it. The reality is that these are children coming to a strange country with strangers they may have met just a few times.
They're unable to communicate for the most part and have been in an institution with a bunch of other children. These children are going to have issues.
They're going to lash out sometimes. There are going to be times where they just cry and cry their hearts out — and that's best-case scenario. Through The Hague, there is mandatory education but it's very, very minimal.
Want to Adopt a Baby? Crucial Things to Consider before Making this Life-Changing Decision
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Article Summary: So you want to adopt a baby? Don’t go in with your eyes closed. Read this article first to discover the crucial things you must know before making this monumental decision.
There are thousands of children around the world who are in dire need of a good home and family to care for them; these kids come from all races and ethnicities. Of these, babies are among the most helpless and vulnerable.
They require a huge commitment from both of their adoptive parents. If you think you would like to adopt a baby, remember that this is a commitment you will have until the child is an adult, and maybe, even later.
Before adopting, be sure that you take certain factors into account. One of the most onerous can be the cost of adoption. Adopting one child can cost from just several thousand to even many thousands of dollars.
And this initial cost is not the end of it! You will have to pay your adopted child’s expenses until he or she is at least 18 years old, and sometimes even into their young adult years.
Expenses involved in raising your child into adulthood, include, but are not limited to the cost of baby sitters, school supplies, books, toys, clothes, pediatrician visits, dental procedures, sometimes tutors and even counselors etc.
Oh, and don’t forget college. In this day and age, it would be irresponsible to contemplate adopting a baby, without planning to set money aside for college tuition and even room and board.
Oh yes, it's easy to get caught up in all the warm fuzzy parts of eagerly wanting to be a new mom or dad to a helpless little baby that needs you. However, there is no excuse for not carefully considering the dollars and cents that will be required to adopt a child and provide him or her with a healthy, secure and loving home.
However, that is just one aspect of the equation. How about the psychological and emotional demands that will be placed on you? The parents of all babies have to deal with immense levels of stress, whether they are adopted or not.
Your baby will absolutely crave and, yes, even demand your attention. If you feel somewhat empty or purposeless now, after having a newly adopted baby in your home for awhile, you may look back on those days as nothing less than a veritable vacation. Getting up in the middle of the night, changing diapers, endless crying, be prepared for a new infant to put a strain on even the strongest of relationships. Most parents of a new child have acknowledged that after their new arrival, their relationship became more stressful and sometimes contentious.
Of course, these conflicts can be managed if you have a good relationship; marriage counseling can be helpful too. Talking to newly adoptive parents and learning their impression of the process and the adoption experience can bring some objectivity into your decision whether to adopt.
Going in with your eyes wide open will refine your expectations and be helpful, should you decide to do so. If, after objectively evaluating the status of your relationship and your financial situation, you and your spouse are still convinced that you want to adopt a baby, you can finally initiate the all-important adoption process.
You will need to decide from what type of population you want to adopt: for example, another country, somewhere in the US, or even from your own metropolitan area. Then you have to find an adoption agency that you feel comfortable with that can meet your needs.
Some agencies are better than others and, unfortunately you may even run into some scams. Do thorough research to be sure an adoption agency is fully accredited and sponsored by a respected organization with a solid history.
Engage in real comparison shopping by interviewing the representatives of several different agencies before signing anything. The rapport you have with the agency staff is crucial, as well. If you have a good rapport and understanding with staff members, instead of a frustrating experience you are more likely to have a rewarding one.
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