The key dependent variable in adoption research is the child's mental health, in the short and the long term. Defining mental health as the development of basic ego strength and a feeling of self-worth, which enable an individual to cope with stresses later in life, this book focuses on how well adolescents and young adults have fared in adoption. The book is divided into four sections. Section 1 is titled "Adjustment in Adoption: A Review." Topics discussed include the institution of adoption; follow-up studies of adjustment in adoption; genetic, physical, and constitutional factors influencing adjustment in adoption; clinical research and policy change; and adjustment and identity in transracial and intercountry adoption. Section 2 discusses empirical studies of adoption in Canada and Britain. The third section, titled "Intercountry and Transracial Adoption: Empirical Studies and Policy Review," discusses the history of and policy formation regarding international adoption; follow-up studies of adjustment among adopted children, including those from Hong Kong and Vietnam who grew up in Britain; and transracial adoptions in Canada and Britain. Section 4, "Adopted Children in Residential Care: A Typology of Disrupted Adoptions," contains studies of adopted children in residential treatment centers and types or clusters of adjustment problems. A concluding section summarizes the research findings in earlier chapters. Contains over 480 references. (DR)