In infant adoptees, behavior problems can be seen as the child comes to fully understand what adoption means- that to be chosen by their adoptive parents, their biological parents had to relinquish them.
Later childhood adoptees exhibiting behavioral problems are often expressions of unresolved internal emotional issues like the "fear of becoming attached, unresolved grief, a poor sense of identity, depression, and strong underlying feelings such as anger and fear related to past trauma."[REF] .