Internationally adopted children after arrival: Activity, troublesome behaviour, and age predicting motor and language competences

Abstract

The temperament dimensions: activity, emotionality, and shyness, together with troublesome behaviour, gender, country of origin, time in family and age, were explored in relation to motor and language competence. The sample consisted of internationally adopted children to Norway (N = 110), 56 girls and 54 boys. Their mean age was 14.85 months. From reports by adoptive mothers and fathers, a hierarchical multiple linear regression analysis was conducted, 71 % of the variance in motor and language was explained when all the variables were included. Activity and troublesome behaviour are especially discussed for being variables significantly explaining variance in motor and language competence for adopted children.