ABSTRACT
This chapter suggests disguised case histories that illustrate stages to adoption disruption or stability. "Stretching" and other failures to provide families with accurate information about children's characteristics were powerful contributors to disruption. The adoptive parents' education level did have some bearing on disruption, as more highly educated parents tended to have less stable adoptions. The development of reciprocity is an indicator to the family that the adoption is working out, and provides a resource that the family can draw on during inevitable trying times. Postplacement visits were generally innocuous and probably unrelated to adoption outcomes as they occurred before significant concerns arose. Children should be routinely provided with preparation for adoption. When behavior fails to improve, as was the case for most disruptions, expectations for a happy family future are abandoned. As a consequence, the significance of the aftermath of disruption for adoptive families can be underestimated.
