Psychological intervention in the process of international adoption. A reflection from practice

Abstract

International adoption has gained relevance as an important way of solving two problems: it is a family-placement alternative for may children and it is also a solution for families that have been waiting for years to adopt. The conceptualization of adoption has changed with time. It has been influenced by social, legal, psychological and other variables that have contributed to its present value and image. Professional interventions (and specially those of a psychological nature) are important in order to predict chances of success and prevent possible dysfunctions. In this paper, after a brief consideration of the social context and concept of international adoption, a proposal for a broad psychological intervention that could assure success is presented.