In the adoption process, adoptive parents and adopted children need to transform from strangers to each other into family members. The forming of a parent-child relationship that is trustworthy and...Show moreIn the adoption process, adoptive parents and adopted children need to transform from strangers to each other into family members. The forming of a parent-child relationship that is trustworthy and safe is crucial for the adjustment of adopted children. Positive family relationships are important for the development of children’s’ personal identity and are protective factors in relation to problem behavior. This study examined the relationship between parental, child and family factors and the involvement of adopted children with their adoptive family. Informants were adoptive parents of 982 Chinese adoptees in The Netherlands, aged 3 to 16 years. The child-rearing context of adoptive families with and without biological children differed on family size, age at adoption, adopted children’s interest in adoption, parent’s close bond with their adopted children and the time adoptive parents spent with their adopted children. Adopted children without siblings in the adoptive family were less involved with their adoptive families compared to adopted children that have been raised together with other children in the family. In both all-adoptive families and families with adopted children and biological children, adopted children were more involved with their adoptive families if parents reported a closer bond with their adopted children. Another finding was that the more parents got along with their adopted children, the more involved their adopted children were with their adoptive family. In conclusion, a good preparation of future adoptive parents about their responsibility as a parent and educater is desirable, as well as a warm and accepting parenting style, to form strong family tiesShow less
