Three mothers of eight children adopted from China were interviewed about their experience with international adoption. A narrative phenomenological research design resulted in the identification of six themes from their stories (a) not being prepared and survival, fear, and grief; (b) attachment; (c) barriers faced in the schools; (d) burn out; (e) counseling; (f) strategies of building community and validating ethnic identity and acculturation; and (g) becoming a family takes time. Authors recommend further research and more attention to the family counseling needs of international adoption families.
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