The family as context for the development of close peer relationships among adopted adolescents

This study investigated the relationship between family processes and closeness in peer relationships among adopted adolescents through sets of structural equation models. Data for this dissertation came from the Minnesota/Texas Adoption Research Project (Grotevant & McRoy, 1998), Adoptive families (N = 190) were seen at two different time points, with an average of approximately eight years in between. At Wave I the children were between 4 and 12 years of age (mean = 7.8 years of age), and at Wave II the children were between 11 and 20 years of age (mean = 15.7 years of age).;Results of the structural equation models show that the proposed model did fit the data well. Goodness of Fit (GFI) ranged from .93 to .97 and the Root Mean Square Error of Approximation (RMSEA) ranged from .03 to .05. The results show that when boys and girls are compared, unhealthy family functioning is related to the development of close peer relationships among girls. Girls who perceived that their family was characterized by unhealthy family functioning also perceived their peer relationships to be close. Future research should examine whether different family processes are linked to the development of closeness in peer relationships among adopted boys.;Factors related to parenting were not related to the development of close peer relationships among adopted adolescents. Findings suggest that processes with the family system are more strongly related to each other over an eight year time period than processes between the family and peer system. Theoretical advances within developmental systems theory needs to take this result into consideration because differences in strength of relationships regarding between and within system processes are not addressed in its current state.