Working With Adoptive Parents: Research, Theory, and Therapeutic Interventions -- Copyright -- Contents -- Foreword -- Preface -- Our Own Journey -- The Importance of the Subject Matter -- The Influence of the Parent on the Child -- The Adoptive Parent's Relational Context -- The Well-Being of the Adoptive Parent -- Intended Audience of This Book -- Organization of the Book -- Acknowledgments -- About the Editors -- Contributors -- Chapter 1: Setting the Stage: The Adoptive Parent in Context -- Characteristics of Adoptive Parents -- Psychological Characteristics -- Motivation for Adopting -- Use of Treatment -- Serving the Needs of Adoptive Parents -- History of Adoption -- European History -- Adoption in America -- Contemporary Controversies -- The Openness Dilemma -- Transracial Adoption -- Gay Adoptive Parenting -- Practical Points -- Conclusions -- Notes -- Chapter 2: Theoretical Contributions to the Understanding of Parent-Child Bonding in Adoption -- Before the Family Becomes a Unit: Daniel Stern and Intrapsychic Reorganization -- The Case of Dora -- Bowlby and the Importance of Secure Attachment in Healthy Development -- The Parallel Caregiving System: Contributions of George and Solomon -- Ego Psychology and the Significance of Adaptation -- Contributions of D. W. Winnicott -- The Good Enough Mother -- Holding to Provide Good Enough Maternal Care -- Holding Adopted Children -- The Importance of the Transitional Object With Adoptive Children -- Holding and Surviving Hateful Feelings -- The Role of Mirroring -- Kohut and the Development of Self-Esteem -- Mentalization: Holding the Adopted Child in Mind -- Separation-Individuation and the Contributions of Margaret Mahler -- Practical Points -- Conclusions -- Notes -- Chapter 3: Using Research to Inform Best Practices in Working With Adoptive Families.

The History of Research on Attachment and Parent-Child Interactions -- Bowlby and the Observational Method -- Early Measurement Issues in Attachment Research -- Parent/Child Interactions as Predictors of Child Adjustment -- Helping Children by Studying Attachment in Adults -- Research on Adoption -- Age at Adoption -- General Outcomes for Adopted Children -- Research on Cognitive and Psychomotor Development -- Research on Behavioral and Emotional Adjustment -- Comparing International Adoptees With Country-of-Origin Peer Groups -- Longitudinal Studies of Adoption -- Attachment-Based Interventions for Use in Adoption -- The Circle of Security -- Toddler-Parent Psychotherapy -- Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy -- Practical Points -- Conclusion -- Chapter 4: The Adoptive Mother -- The Eras of Adoptive Motherhood -- Before the Baby Arrives -- Transition -- Nesting -- Establishing the Rhythms of Daily Living -- Early Childhood Years -- Later Childhood Years (5-12 Years) -- Adolescence -- Mothering Adolescent Daughters -- Mothering the Adolescent Son -- Searching -- Reculturation -- Practical Points -- Conclusion -- Notes -- Chapter 5: The Adoptive Father -- Important Role Functions of the Father -- Early Support of the Mother -- The ``Second Other ́́-- An Alternative Attachment Figure -- Introduction to the External World With Encouragement of Self-Determination -- Promotion of Separation and Individuation -- Development of Gender Identity -- Development of Social Competence -- The Adoptive Father's Centrality in the Child's Psychic Formation and Psychosocial Life -- Becoming and Being an Adoptive Father -- Wish to Become a Father -- Effects of Infertility -- Working Through Psychological Effects of Infertility -- Contemplating Adoption -- Waiting for the Child and Transition -- Establishing New Rhythms -- The Adoptive Father in the Early Childhood Years.

Fathering During Adolescence -- Practical Points -- Conclusion -- Notes -- Chapter 6: Recognizing Diversity in Adoptive Families -- Identity Variables Within the Addressing Framework -- Age and Generational Influences -- Disability Status of the Adoptive Parent -- Religion and Spiritual Orientation -- Ethnicity, Race, and Culture -- Socioeconomic Status -- Sexual Orientation -- Gender -- Family Structure -- Single-Parent Families -- Sibling Constellations -- Practical Points -- Conclusion -- Notes -- Chapter 7: Adoption of Children With Special Health Care Needs -- Three Approach Classes -- Problems in the Research About Adopted Children With Special Health Care Needs -- Comparison to Children in the General Population -- Disruption of Adoption for Children With SHCN -- Who Are the Families Who Adopt These Children? -- Commitment -- Commitment and Approach Classes -- The Case of Priscilla: Approach Class 1 -- The Case of Mindy: Approach Classes 2 and 3 -- Preparation -- Preparation in Approach Classes 1 and 2 -- Across the Approach Classes -- Coping and Stress -- Learning From the Broader Pediatric Literature -- Existential Issues -- Posttraumatic Stress -- Ambiguous Loss -- Posttraumatic Growth -- Marital Satisfaction -- Practical Points -- For Therapists/Counselors and Other Helping Professionals -- For Adoptive Parents of Children With SHCN -- Conclusion -- Chapter 8: Parenting the Young Child -- Ghosts in Adoptive Families -- Pre-Adoptive Parent Ghosts -- Postadoption Ghosts -- Children's Ghosts -- Intervention With Adoptive Families: Developmental Guidance, Parent-Child Groups, and Parent-Child Therapy -- Developmental Guidance -- Parent-Child Groups: Education for Adoptive Parenting -- Parent-Child Psychotherapy -- Parenting Cornerstones for Adoptive Families -- Attachment and Emotional Connection.

Object Constancy: Consolidating New Relationships -- Two Stages at One Time -- Attachment Disorder -- Temperament and Personality -- Roadblocks to Object Constancy -- Enhancing the Parent-Child Relationship in Adoptive Families: Developing an Adoption Dialogue -- Limit Setting and Discipline -- Dealing With Loss and Grief in Adoption -- Practical Points -- Conclusion -- Notes -- Chapter 9: Adoptive Parenting of Teenagers and Young Adults -- Developmental Themes of Adolescence and Early Adulthood -- The Development of Identity -- Individuation and Independence -- Identity Development and Individuation in Adopted Adolescents and Young Adults -- Family Memories and Adoption Stories -- Sense of Belonging -- Case Study-"Aaron" -- Individuation, Independence, and the Adoptive Parent-Child Relationship -- Case Study-"Rosa" -- The Unique Perspective of Adoptive Parents of Adolescents -- Insights for Parents and Therapists -- Need for Information About Birth Families -- Identity Formation in International, Transcultural, and Transracial Adoptees -- The Adoption Narrative -- Effective Teatment of Trauma in the Lives of Adopted Children -- Supporting Adolescents ́Natural Desire for Autonomy -- Creating a Sense of Belonging and Purpose -- Practical Points -- Conclusions -- Chapter 10: Therapeutic Interventions With Adopted Children and Adoptive Parents: A Psychoanalytic Developmental Approach -- Introduction -- Development of the Human Mind -- Therapeutic Intervention in a Psychoanalytic Developmental Approach -- Parent Problems and Child Problems in the Context of a Psychoanalytic Developmental Approach -- The Missing Link-Between Parent and Child -- Intergenerational Transmission of the Human Mind-The Missing Link -- Evaluating the Parent-Child Dyad -- Adoption: Irregularities in the Context of Development -- Adoption: Challenges to the Developing Child.

Practical Points -- Conclusion -- Notes -- Chapter 11: Adoptive Parent as Consultant, Educator, and Advocator -- The Roots of Problems Facing Adoptive Parents -- Lack of Knowledge and Overgeneralization -- Micro-Aggressions -- Action Implications -- Family, Friends, and Members of the Community -- School -- The Workplace -- The Broader Society -- Challenges to Parents ́Assumption of Advocacy, Consultative, and Educational Roles -- Practical Points -- Conclusions -- Notes -- Chapter 12: Meeting the Needs of Adoptive Parents: Practice, Training, and Research -- Practice -- Vignette 1 -- Analysis of Vignette 1 -- Vignette 2 -- Analysis of Vignette 2 -- Vignette 3 -- Analysis of Vignette 3 -- Vignette 4 -- Analysis of Vignette 4 -- Vignette 5 -- Analysis of Vignette 5 -- Training -- Becoming Knowledgeable Adoption Practitioners -- Research -- Practical Points -- Conclusions -- Notes -- References -- Author Index -- Subject Index.