English The context for emotional recovery was analysed in 30 Spanish parents adopting from Russia and a comparison group. The adopted children’s attachment disorders improved significantly after adoption. Adoptive parents showed a more sophisticated and optimistic reflective functioning about their children and their parenting experience. French Le contexte du rétablissement affectif a été analysé chez 30 couples de parents espagnols adoptant des enfants en provenance de Russie et comparé avec celui d’un groupe témoin. Les troubles de l’attachement chez les enfants adoptés se sont améliorés significativement après l’adoption. Les parents adoptifs ont montré un des capacités de réflexion plus sophistiquées et optimistes à propos de leurs enfants et de leur expérience d’éducation. Spanish El contexto de la recuperación emocional se analizó en 30 adoptantes en Rusia y en un grupo de comparación. Los trastornos de apego mejoraron de forma significativa tras la adopción. Los adoptantes mostraron una visión más sofisticada y optimista de sus hijos y de su propia experiencia como padres.

Research on adoption is contributing to our understanding of developmental plasticity. As early adversity is usually involved in adoption, researchers can study both the negative consequences of such adversity and the catch-up processes that follow once children are integrated into a protective, loving, and stimulating family context. In this article, we analyze postadoption recovery in three developmental domains: growth, neuropsychological development, and attachment. Given the existence of differential plasticity within each of these domains, generalizations about physical, neuropsychological, and emotional recovery should be avoided.

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