A systematic study of non-relative adoption in Hong Kong. It examines the changing profile of non-relative adoption between 1987 and 1993, from the author's analysis of 486 case files. Characteristics of the adoptive parents, adopted children and their birth parents are presented in descriptive statistics. Three predictors of adoption stresses are identified. Adjustment in adoption and threat to parental entitlement were positively related to adoption stress; parental education was negatively related to it. Apart from being more stressful, Chinese adopters were found to be significantly different from non-Chinese for having a lower level of acknowledgement of difference. They are more worrisome over the relationship with birth parents, are less ready to reveal adoption, have better adoptive parent-child relationship, and possess higher levels of personal qualities. The findings of the study suggest that a post-legal adoption service is urgently needed. Better training for social workers, more Chinese publications for adopters, and further research on adoption outcome and on the adoptive parent-child relationship is recommended.
