Gli aspetti problematici dell’adozione: dalla conoscenza della coppia all’inserimento del bambino. Il bambino vittima di abuso e maltrattamento/em> ABSTRACT: This article examines the impact of type of child maltreatment on adoption, as a significant risk factor in its failure or its worsening functionality. Attention is focused on two important aspects for the understanding of the relation between adoptive parents and adopted child: the previous interiorization of a disorganized attachment bond by the maltreated child, and the emergence of sexualized behaviors and/or disclosure of sexual abuse during the adoption. These factors certainly play a decisive role in establishing a good parent-child relationship and parents’ ability to manage the most problematic aspects related to a dysfunctional, rejecting, sometimes incomprehensible conduct of an adopted child. Several case studies are presented. Key words: sexual abuse; fostering; adoption; maltreatment.