Issues Involving International Adoption Brandy Mounts 1 and Loretta Bradley 2 Abstract Challenges in adoptive families are well-documented; however, a lack of empirical research on the preadoption preparation of prospective adoptive parents for these common challenges exists. The purpose of this study was to seek a more thorough understanding of the education and preparation adoptive parents receive regarding potential child issues in international adoption. A qualitative research design was utilized to gain more in-depth knowledge of the international adoption experience that included preadoption education, transitioning into a new family structure, and services utilized. Ten participants, who are parents of internationally adopted children, were recruited for this qualitative study. Three research questions were developed regarding the challenges adoptive parents experience, how preadoption services could be improved, and participants’ perceptions of preadoption training. The following six primary themes were identified: purpose, attachment, challenges experienced, incon- sistent preparation, support systems, and families utilizing mental health services. Recommendations for professional practice are presented, including more current and consistent training for prospective adoptive parents as well as recommendations for increasing the numbers of family counselors with adoption expertise and enhancing counselor training to address adoption issues. Keywords adoption, international adoption, research and adoption, family issues Adoption rates both domestically and internationally have declined during the past decade. In 2007 and 2008, approxi- mately 136,000 adoptions occurred each year with 13–14% of these being international adoptions (Child Welfare Information Gateway, 2018). In 2004, the number of children adopted inter- nationally was 23,000; this number is in contrast to 2016 when the number was only 5,400 (Adoptions in America are declin- ing, 2017). Lopez (2018) suggested that negative press and politics may have contributed to countries closing their doors to foreign adoptive parents. Countries such as Russia and Ethiopia banned adoption to U.S. parents because of the high-profile cases of abuse or neglect (Lopez, 2018). Although the number of international adoptions overall is decreasing, the percentage of older child adoptions is increasing (U.S. Depart- ment of State, 2016). Adoptions of older children, over the age of 5, are at a greater risk of disruption or dissolution, difficulty in transitioning and attaching to a new family, and experiencing difficulty resulting from many developmental and behavioral issues (Berry & Barth, 1990; Coakley & Berrick, 2008; Howard et al., 2014). With increasing numbers of older child adoptions (U.S. Department of State, 2016), there is a reason for concern that parents may be ill-informed or ill-equipped for the behavioral and emotional issues internationally adopted children may experience (Carnes-Holt & Bratton, 2014). While many adop- tion stories are successful, there are still many that result in disruption or dissolution. Although these terms disruption and dissolution are often used interchangeably, their meanings differ. For example, most international adoptions are finalized prior to parents bringing the child to the United States (Barth, Berry, Carson, Goodfield, & Feinberg, 1986). Adoption disso- lution may and has occurred as a result of adoptive parents being ill-prepared for international adoption (Carnes-Holt & Bratton, 2014). Dissolution is the severance of the parent–child relationship after the adoption has been legally finalized (Coak- ley & Berrick, 2008). This typically results in the child being placed in the care of the State, a group home, or an institution. In contrast, disruption refers to the separation of a child from prospective adoptive parents after the child has been living in the adoptive home but prior to final legalization of the adoption. Disruption and Dissolution Information and statistics regarding disruptions and dissolu- tions in international adoptions vary significantly and depend upon several factors. In a study conducted by Festinger (2006), disruption rates varied between 9% and 15%. Coakley and Berrick (2008) reported the range of disruption rates to be 1 Alliance Counseling Works, Round Rock, TX, USA 2 Counselor Education Program, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, USA Corresponding Author: Brandy Mounts, Alliance Counseling Works, Austin, TX, USA. Email: brandymounts@gmail.com The Family Journal: Counseling and Therapy for Couples and Families 1-7 ª The Author(s) 2019 Article reuse guidelines: sagepub.com/journals-permissions DOI: 10.1177/1066480719887494 journals.sagepub.com/home/tfj