In this volume David Brodzinsky, who has conducted one of the nation's largest studies of adopted children, and Marshall Schechter, a noted child psychiatrist who has been involved with adoption related issues for over forty years, have brought together a group of leading researchers from various disciplines to explore the complex interdisciplinary subject of adoption. While recent empirical work has shown that adopted children are more vulnerable to a host of psychological and school-related problems compared to their nonadopted peers, and that the rate of referral of adopted children to mental-health facilities is far above what would be expected given their representation in the general population, our understanding of the basis for these problems remains unclear. In this book, theoretical, empirical, clinical, and social policy issues offer new insights into the problems facing parents of adopted children, and especially the children themselves. A comprehensive study, The Psychology of Adoption will be of interest to child psychiatrists, developmental and clinical psychologists, social workers, social service providers, and adoptive parents.

This engaging, comprehensive introduction to the field of personality psychology integrates discussion of personality theories, research, assessment techniques, and applications of specific theories. The Psychology of Personality introduces students to many important figures in the field and covers both classic and contemporary issues and research. The second edition reflects significant changes in the field but retains many of the special features that made it a textbook from which instructors found easy to teach and students found easy to learn. Bernardo Carducci’s passion for the study of personality is evident on every page.

After an overview of historical and contemporary perspectives, the authors explore various theories that have addressed the issue of psychological risk associated with adoption.

This is a unique compilation of cross-cultural and international attitudes towards adoption research and outcomes. Whilst informal adoption of children has probably always existed across all human societies, this work is timely in that interest in the role of legal adoption as both a child welfare solution and as a means of alternative family formation for adults wanting to become parents has never been higher. This book is an edited collection of 13 papers based on invited keynote presentations or paper symposia presentations given at the Second International Conference on Adoption Research (ICAR2) 2006. It gives a unique Cross-cultural look at adoption from worldwide, multidisciplinary community of distinguished and emerging adoption researchers. International appeal, with different countries laws, attitudes and outcomes fully explored

The framework that surrounds adoption laws, policies and practicees, the beliefs, myths and attitudes that endow it with enhanced and profound meaning, value, and mystery are what author Joanne Wolf Small, M.S.W. calls the adoption mystique. Its power is evident in the dispsaraging attitudes about adoption and adoptees held by millions of people. Important issues remain buried, and most of the affected have kept silent. It is no wonder that we know so little about adoption and its aftermath. The Adoption Mystique outlines the history and background of American adoption culture from a psychosocial or environmental perspective. It looks at adoption through a series of essays that explore the hidden but powerful religious, social and economic factors that affect society's image of adoption past and present.The undercurrent of negative feelings and treatment accorded adoptive families--and adoptive status in particular--remain much the same despite recent reforms. The book not only examines the problem, but leads to an effective solution.

This book researches child adoption in India and challenges prevalent theories of adoption. It is the only book of its kind to lend a voice to adopted children and shares the narratives of many families in their experiences of adoption. It also recounts the personal story of the author as an adoptive parent. The first part of the book deals with the macro issues of child adoption, while the second provides a micro-level analysis of individual families. The socio-political and socio-cultural contexts within which adoptions occur are also analyzed.

Throughout this timely volume, the contributors take into account the complexity and diversity of families today and the consequent impact on service delivery at the societal and policy levels.