Background According to the DSM-5, attachment disorders can be categorized as two distinct types: Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD) and Disinhibited Social Engagement Disorder (DSED). The literature has suggested that children who have experienced emotional and social care deprivation tend to show signs of these disorders. Thus, attachment is a central topic in adopted children. Objective The present study aims to explore the relationship between pre-adoption experiences and attachment disorders of adopted Portuguese children. Method Seventy-eight adoptive parents (75.6% mothers) of children aged 3 to 11 (59% boys), who had been adopted on average for 4.3 years, participated in this study. RAD and DSED symptoms were assessed with the translated and adapted Portuguese version of the Early TRAuma-Related Disorders Questionnaire (ETRAD-Q; Monette et al., Monette et al., Assessment 29:556–571, 2022). Results Results revealed significant correlations between the presence of RAD symptoms and multiple prior care placement moves, later separation from the birth family, exposure to deprivation experiences, greater exposure to risk factors in the birth family, adoption by a single parent, and older age at adoption placement (all p < .05). No pre-adoption and adoption experiences were significantly correlated with DSED (all p > .05). In the regression model, the number of care placement moves significantly predicted RAD symptoms, even when controlling for other pre-adoption and adoption-related variables (p < .001). Conclusions These findings highlight the role of pre-adoption experiences in the attachment difficulties faced by adopted children and emphasize the importance of early identification and prompt intervention to reduce the risk of psychopathology.

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Reactive attachment disorder,Disinhibited social engagement disorder,Attachment disorders,Pre-adoption experiences,Adoption

• Psychology - Social Sciences
• Sociology - Social Sciences
• Other Social Sciences - Social Sciences