Helping Families With Russian Adoptees: Understanding Unique Needs and Challenges
The Family Journal: Counseling and Therapy for Couples and Families
Published online on May 29, 2013
Abstract
With the increase in children adopted from Russia, family therapists in the United States face the dilemma of helping adoptive families care for their child and build a healthy family unit. This article familiarizes family therapists with children’s unique experiences in Russian institutionalized care and its impact on children’s social–emotional development, behavior, and attachment patterns. Implications for family therapists working with families adopting Russian orphans are discussed.