Family resources in the transition to adoption: Introduction to the Special Issue

In recent years we have witnessed the emergence of a specific focus within the psychology of the family, specifically devoted to adoptive families. This has been evidenced by the growing number of published books and articles, papers and invited symposia present at international conferences, all dedicated to this topic. Many crucial dimensions of family functioning remain under – or even unexplored, this Special Issue has been framed to offer a significant contribution in this direction. The selections included here explore some of these previously described trends (i.e., parent-child openness in communication about adoption related issues, ethnic identity and cultural socialization), while exploring “new” variables and their impact on psychological well-being of both parents and children.