Healing Cultural Disconnection: Play Therapy for Building Identity in Internationally Adopted Children


| JIYOUNG MOON, PHD, LPC-S, NCC, RPT™ I


International adoption is a transformative experience for both children and families offering opportunities for growth. However, it is an experience that might also present emotional and psychological challenges. Children adopted internationally often face  while also dealing with past trauma and feelings of loss. Play therapy, an evidence-based intervention, provides a safe space for children and families to navigate these transitions.


International Adoption Trends: Statistical Insights


and Changes Over Time         over the years. According to the U.S. Department of State (n.d.), international adoptions have declined by 93% from 2004 to 2022.


24 | PLAYTHERAPY December 2024 | www.a4pt.org


Of the 282,921 foreign-born children adopted into U.S. families between 1999 and 2022, a substantial proportion came from China (29.2%), Russia (16.3%), and Guatemala (10.5%). Recent years have seen a slowdown in adoptions from these countries due to stricter regulations, improved domestic adoption processes in countries previously high in international adoptions, and political factors,          Notably, China suspended international adoptions at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic (National Council for Adoption, 2023). In 2023, the countries with the highest contributions to U.S. international adoptions included Colombia (235), India (223), South Korea (141), Bulgaria (84), and Ukraine (82), totaling 1,517 adoptions. By 2024, India (221), Colombia (200), Bulgaria (83), Haiti (80), and Nigeria (62) led the list, with a total of 1,275 adoptions, highlighting a shift in adoption trends (U.S. Department of State, n.d.).


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