Association of adoptive family functioning and genetic liability for broad schizophrenia spectrum disorders with adoptees’ psychiatric morbidity : special focus on duration of preadoption out-of-home care, parental loss and familial socioeconomic status
Thesis event information
Date and time of the thesis defence
Place of the thesis defence
Auditorium 1, Building PT1 of the Department of Psychiatry, Peltolantie 17, Oulu
Topic of the dissertation
Association of adoptive family functioning and genetic liability for broad schizophrenia spectrum disorders with adoptees’ psychiatric morbidity : special focus on duration of preadoption out-of-home care, parental loss and familial socioeconomic status
Doctoral candidate
Master of Education (Educational psychology) Toni Myllyaho
Faculty and unit
University of Oulu Graduate School, Faculty of Medicine, Research Unit of Clinical Medicine
Subject of study
Medical science
Opponent
Professor Raimo K. R. Salokangas, University of Turku
Custos
Professor (emeritus) Karl-Erik Wahlberg, University of Oulu
Psychiatric morbidity of adopted children is more common in adoptive families with dysfunctional processes: Finnish Adoptive Family Study of Schizophrenia
Earlier research has solidified the role of genetic contributions in the etiology of schizophrenia and other psychiatric disorders. In addition, previous research literature supports the importance of environmental risk factors in the development of mental health disorders. According to the vulnerability-stress theory, the development of psychiatric disorders is influenced by the interaction of genes and environment. The aim of the dissertation was to examine this interaction with the later mental health disorders of adopted children.
The dissertation is based on the data of the Finnish Adoptive Family Study of Schizophrenia. The data consists of adoptive families along with high-risk and control adopted children. The high-risk adoptees have a high genetic risk for schizophrenia spectrum disorders through their biological mother. Risk factors related to the family environment were duration of temporary out-of-home care placements prior to adoption, assessment of adoptive family functioning, loss of an adoptive parent (divorce or death) and socioeconomic status of the adoptive family. The adoptive families were met by the researchers and family functioning was assessed multi-methodically in terms of, for example, interaction, emotional atmosphere and trust.
The results of the dissertation showed that the psychiatric morbidity of adoptees was more common in adoptive families that were assessed as dysfunctional, especially in high-risk children. In addition, the results showed that among the adoptees with a longer (> 6 months) preadoption out-of-home care placement, genetic predisposition to schizophrenia was associated with later mental health disorders. On the other hand, for adoptees with a shorter (≤ 6 months) preadoption out-of-home placement, the adoptive family functioning accociated with adoptee's psychiatric disorders. It is noteworthy that the results showed that adoptive family functioning and genetic liability to schizophrenia were related to the adopted children's later mental health disorders only in adoptive families with high socioeconomic status.
Although the dissertation focuses on adopted children and adoptive families, its results can also be valuable when looking at the importance of genetic factors and family environment in the development of mental health disorders in general. The research results strengthen the view of the association of genetic factors and dysfunctional family processes with the development of mental health disorders, both as independent factors and in interaction. In addition, the results strengthen the understanding of the importance of the familial socioeconomic status and the early rearing environment in the development of psychiatric disorders.
The dissertation is based on the data of the Finnish Adoptive Family Study of Schizophrenia. The data consists of adoptive families along with high-risk and control adopted children. The high-risk adoptees have a high genetic risk for schizophrenia spectrum disorders through their biological mother. Risk factors related to the family environment were duration of temporary out-of-home care placements prior to adoption, assessment of adoptive family functioning, loss of an adoptive parent (divorce or death) and socioeconomic status of the adoptive family. The adoptive families were met by the researchers and family functioning was assessed multi-methodically in terms of, for example, interaction, emotional atmosphere and trust.
The results of the dissertation showed that the psychiatric morbidity of adoptees was more common in adoptive families that were assessed as dysfunctional, especially in high-risk children. In addition, the results showed that among the adoptees with a longer (> 6 months) preadoption out-of-home care placement, genetic predisposition to schizophrenia was associated with later mental health disorders. On the other hand, for adoptees with a shorter (≤ 6 months) preadoption out-of-home placement, the adoptive family functioning accociated with adoptee's psychiatric disorders. It is noteworthy that the results showed that adoptive family functioning and genetic liability to schizophrenia were related to the adopted children's later mental health disorders only in adoptive families with high socioeconomic status.
Although the dissertation focuses on adopted children and adoptive families, its results can also be valuable when looking at the importance of genetic factors and family environment in the development of mental health disorders in general. The research results strengthen the view of the association of genetic factors and dysfunctional family processes with the development of mental health disorders, both as independent factors and in interaction. In addition, the results strengthen the understanding of the importance of the familial socioeconomic status and the early rearing environment in the development of psychiatric disorders.
Last updated: 23.1.2024