Adoption constitutes a discontinuity in child care trajectory, that falls into a separation and a lost of reference figures, and therefore, the need to set up new attachment figures into a suitable familiar atmosphere.

This case is a review of how a child adoption process, that can be something positive at first, can also produce many problems in the future, added to dificulties in order to regulate stressing situations and also solving problems.

The clinical case consists in a 25-year-old woman, who suffers from anxiety and self-injure behaviour. She has a diagnosis of non-specified personality disorder with limit characteristics. The patient was adopted a few months after her birth. At the moment she's living with her adoptive father, her adoptive mother passed away when she was 4. At the age of 21, the patient meets her biological mother and since that moment she spends most of the weekends with her. After a few medical appointments, she admits that she has allowed sexual relationships with her biological mother since six months ago.

It's important to appreciate the value of familiar atmosphere, and in addition, the attachment between child and his parental figures. The quality of the attachment is going to have influence in emotional regulation.

Children who have suffered neglect from their biological parents and have been adopted develop attachment behaviours characterized by negative experiences. In spite of being in a good familiar environment, they feel vulnerable and insecure. Early and appropriate attachment experiences can improve relationships between children and their new family.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.