International Adoption Research Articles

Couple partnership and divorce in domestic and non-European international adoptees. A Swedish national cohort study with follow up until 36 to 45 years

Adoption research shows a growing interest in adopted persons in their adult years. This article examines couple partnerships and divorce among adult adoptees and non-adoptees. Using population-based Swedish register data with follow-up until age 36–45 years, domestic and international adoptees were compared with the general population, as well as with immigrants who settled in Sweden in their early years and share with international adoptees a non-European physical appearance. Given their preadoption adversities and associated increased mental health problems, as well as postadoption experiences of perceived discrimination, adoptees were expected to have more problems in the formation and breakdown of partner relationships, particularly in the case of international adoptees. The study used data from national registers on Swedish national cohorts born 1972–83, including two study groups with a non-European origin who settled in Sweden at age 0–8 years (14,761 international adoptees and 11,085 immigrants) as well as 906 domestic adoptees and 936,988 Swedish born with a Swedish-born mother from the general population. In contrast with international adoptees, who have a 14 % lower adjusted rate of couple compared with the general population, domestic adoptees were more like the Swedish general population in terms of couple partnership formation. However, in terms of divorce, domestic and international adoptees share a significantly higher incidence than the general population and the immigrants study groups. Both in the formation and breakdown of couple relationships, international adopted men present less favorable outcomes than international adopted women. Further research is needed to elucidate the reasons behind these patterns.

Mapping the digitalisation of child adoption in India: Challenges and future possibilities

Among several other countries, India has launched numerous digital initiative programmes aimed at integrating and upgrading various socioeconomic, political and health and social care arenas. One such area is child adoption, where a move away from the analogue system and towards digitalisation began in 2015. The Indian Ministry of Women & Child Development introduced the Child Adoption Resource Information and Guidance System (CARINGS), a digital adoption formalisation platform, under the Central Adoption Resource Authority, a nodal body that monitors and regulates both in-country and intercountry adoptions. This government initiative centralised adoption data from all over India, including the number of children declared free for adoption and the number of prospective parents registered and seeking to adopt. Against this context, this study aims to map the development of adoption in India through digital systems and the influence of digitilisation on those involved in the pre- and post-adoption phases. Drawing on both Western and Indian literature, as well as observations from an ongoing qualitative study on adoption digitalisation in India, this study discusses the benefits and limitations of digital systems for the people connected to them. The findings provide a comprehensive view of the interaction of technology and society and how this operates in the sociocultural context of adoption in India. Future implications for researchers and adoption social workers and consultants are discussed.

Voices of the Lost Children of Greece: Oral Histories of Cold War International Adoption ed. by Mary Cardaras (review)

Voices of the Lost Children of Greece: Oral Histories of Cold War International Adoption ed. by Mary Cardaras (review)

Editorial

Kinship studies are certainly a hallmark for anthropology as a discipline. Yet, it has been more than a decade since Social Anthropology / Anthropologie Sociale has published a paper on kinship (except for a review article by Giovanna Bacchiddu [2015] on two books about international adoption and the reconfiguration of the American family model). We have to go back as far as the late 2000’s to read one, when Warren Shapiro wrote a peremptory critique of Susan McKinnon's book in which the latter had strongly argued against “neo-Darwinian biological assumptions” underpinning the kinship theories developed by evolutionary psychology. The long absence of kinship from issues of this journal elicits an obvious comment: it was about time Social Anthropology / Anthropology Sociale devotes a full issue to this topic and engages with recent ethnographic theory on kinship and kinship matters. While we don't believe that it is our role as new editorial team to ponder the reasons for the omission of this topic, let us simply notice the major turn in kinship studies as a beginning for explanation. At the turn of the century, kinship as a topic has evolved from theoretical discussions about “systems” and social organization to a urge for describing and understanding new patterns of relatedness, transnational families, parenting, and adopting. Entire journals were created out of the need to explore ignored and emerging universes of relatedness and reimagine family studies. Despite the seismic shift from concerns about terminologies, ways and varieties of affiliation, and primary forms of structuring human lives to questions of care, parenting, and having kin, kinship studies have not been the hotspot of anthropological debate for years. However, they have consistently been addressed by books reviewed for this journal.

해외입양 다큐멘터리에 나타난 트라우마 연구

The purpose of this study is to analyze the trauma of Korean adoptees in inter-country adoption documentary. Recently, there have been many cases of overseas adoptees returning to their home countries, and an understanding of them seems more necessary than ever. Through the documentary <Side by Side: Out of a South Korean Orphanage and into the World> directed by a Korean adoptee, I try to focus on the trauma of inter-country, transracial adoption. As a result, it was found that the adoptees who participated in the documentary experienced adoption trauma such as attachment, racism, and identity throughout their lives. Knowing the signs and causes of adoptees' trauma will help understand return adoptees and give meaningful implications to our society, where multiculturalism is becoming subdivided beyond acceleration.

North America's Amish-Mennonites Adopt Abroad: The Ideologies and Institutional Conditions that Cracked the Homogeneity of an Ethnic Religion.

Under what social conditions would ethnic sectarians in developed countries engage in inter-country adoption, grafting ethnically-racially diverse children into their homogenous contexts? In this article, we present a case study of Amish-Mennonite adoption-oriented children's homes in underdeveloped countries. As the ethnic-sectarian, family-oriented, evangelical Amish-Mennonites meet little success proselytizing adults, adoption-oriented children's home allowed adoptive parents to demonstrate their commitment to mission while maintaining sectarian-style control over a child's socialization. Ultimately, the children's homes were short-lived, coming and going based on larger geo-political dynamics, signaling that this unusual international adoption project is internally motivated but enabled and constrained by larger institutional contexts. Though the actual percent of inter-country adoptees to Amish-Mennonite homes is small, this case demonstrates that the right combination of values and broader political dynamics create conditions facilitating migration of children from lesser developed countries into wealthy contexts, a process cracking - even if not fully opening - Amish-Mennonite ethnic/racial homogeneity.

Intercountry Adoption in Malaysia and Morocco: A New Frontier

Intercountry adoption offers a family-based care option for children in need of care and protection. It allows them to find loving and permanent homes outside their birth country, providing them with stability, support, and a sense of belonging essential for their well-being. The Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Cooperation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption 1993 (Hague Convention 1993) serves as the primary international legal instrument governing intercountry adoption. Despite its importance, intercountry adoption remains relatively uncommon in Malaysia, as the country lacks specific statutory provisions and is not a signatory to the Hague Convention 1993. The purpose of this study is to examine the current state of intercountry adoption in Malaysia and Morocco and explore the viability of intercountry adoption as a child protection measure. The study involves interviews with relevant departments and an examination of Malaysia's current adoption laws. Additionally, the study analyses the international legal framework, including the Hague Convention 1993 and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child 1989 (UNCRC) to provide a comprehensive understanding of the context surrounding intercountry adoption. Furthermore, this paper offers a comparative analysis of Morocco's intercountry kafalah system, which recognises kafalah as an alternative to legal adoption based on Islamic law. The findings of this study will offer valuable insights and recommendations for enhancing Malaysia's approach to intercountry adoption. By considering best practices and international standards, this research seeks to ensure the well-being and protection of children in need of care and protection, promoting their access to a stable and nurturing family environment.

Anti-Adopterism as Resistant Knowledge: An Autoethnographic Case Study of Colorblind Distortions in Transracial and International Adoption

This autoethnography presents my adoption as an object lesson in the normalization of racism. I highlight the epistemological conflict between race consciousness and colorblindness–where in pursuit of being a “good daughter,” I rejected myself to accept my white adoptive family. Clinically, these experiences are diagnosed as depression and post-traumatic stress disorder; however, I locate them as “internalized oppression” consistent with Black feminism. I find that racism is normalized through distorting displacement as placement and through centering my white adoptive family. I also observed “racism as bonding.” I posit, therefore, that adoptees’ anger might function as anti-racist resistance to colorblindness.

Exploring the intention to use mobile learning applications among international students for Chinese language learning during the COVID-19 pandemic

PurposeThis study aims to improve the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) model by examining technological anxiety and other influential factors on international students' adoption of mobile learning (m-learning) during COVID-19 emergency remote teaching (ERT).Design/methodology/approachThis study utilized the modified UTAUT framework to test hypotheses through a cross-sectional survey method. Participants were university students studying Chinese as a foreign language who were selected using a convenience sampling approach. An online questionnaire was then administered. The data collected from the surveys were analyzed using the partial least squares method with SmartPLS 4 software.FindingsThe study examined 16 hypotheses and found support for six of them. The results confirmed that performance expectancy (PE) is a significant predictor of behavioral intention (BI), and anxiety influences both PE and effort expectancy. The negative effect of social influence on anxiety was found to be significant, while facilitating conditions had a negative impact on learners' self-efficacy. The model fit indices indicated a good overall fit for the model.Research limitations/implicationsThis study presents a valuable contribution to the literature on m-learning in emergency education by incorporating technological anxiety into the enhanced UTAUT model. Examining the relationships between the key factors of the model provides a better understanding of learners' intentions and can inspire researchers to establish new theoretical foundations to evaluate the roles of these factors in diverse educational settings.Practical implicationsThe study found that performance expectations are linked to learners' intentions, and anxiety indirectly affects BIs to use mobile learning platforms. Thus, these platforms should be designed to meet learners' expectations with minimum effort and eliminate anxiety triggers to facilitate ease of use. Language curriculum developers and policymakers should incorporate mobile learning applications to support diverse language skills, address students' needs and encourage their use through professional development opportunities for instructors.Social implicationsSocial factors have been found to significantly influence anxiety levels among learners. Therefore, it is crucial for teachers and family members to play an essential role in mitigating anxiety's adverse effects. Discussing related issues can enhance the quality of mobile learning and stimulate social initiative by providers, ultimately improving the learning experience for all learners, regardless of their location or circumstances. This can also contribute to the growth and development of society.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the originality of m-learning development by proposing an enhanced UTAUT model that considers anxiety and emphasizes the critical role of foreign learners' BIs. It provides fundamental guidelines for designing and evaluating m-learning in ERT contexts.

Кримінальна відповідальність за використання малолітнього мігранта для заняття жебрацтвом: національне та міжнародне законодавство

One of the key principles of the national foreign policy is to ensure Ukraine’s integration into the European political, economic and legal space with the aim of gaining membership in the European Union. This integration is of great importance for the development of the country, improving its economy, strengthening democracy and ensuring human rights. Ratification of international treaties and adoption of laws contribute to creating a legal basis for reforms and solving problems, in particular in the field of human trafficking. Conflict and war often lead to a significant increase in the risk of human trafficking, as they create a complex situation in which people can become vulnerable to trafficking and exploitation, which takes many forms. Therefore, the possibility of access to the labour market in European countries can really reduce the risk of their potential participation in human trafficking, while it is important to ensure adequate protection and support for refugees and migrants. According to a recent analysis by UNICEF and the United Nations Coordination Group of Agencies Against Trafficking in Persons (ICAT), 28% of identified victims of human trafficking worldwide are children. With regard to Ukraine, UNICEF’s child protection experts believe that children are likely to constitute an even greater proportion of potential victims of trafficking, 34% that they represent more than half of all refugees who have left the country to date. In the conditions of the formation of Ukraine as a legal state, the problems of child vagrancy and begging, as well as the involvement of children in anti-social and criminal activities, are particularly relevant. At the same time, the will, honour and dignity of the child, as well as his health, suffer the most. Modern society should pay more attention to the issue of protecting the child from the negative influence not only of others, but also of adults. State institutions and the public are obliged to actively develop preventive measures in order to prevent this negative phenomenon. As mentioned above, the field of crime prevention related to the use of a minor child for begging requires scientists to study not only the domestic experience of preventing such crimes, but also the analysis of effective foreign practices to overcome such a negative phenomenon as begging and the use of children for begging. According to the Office of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) – the UN Agency for Migration in Ukraine, over 30 years, about 300,000 people have suffered from human trafficking in Ukraine. The key aspects related to the use of a minor child for begging in conditions of mass forced displacement of the population are outlined in this study, as well as the basic principles of solving this problem in both national and international legislation can become directions of scientific research aimed at the formation of effective strategies. Key words: war; migration; migrant; refugees; human trafficking; criminal responsibility; minors; begging

Relationships without Borders: Clinical Considerations for Search & Contact with First Families

The search for connections with first family members is considered a normative part of adoptee development and not a reflection of adoptive family conflict or individual psychopathology. Knowledge about one’s first family, with consideration for the potential of ongoing relationships, can be of psychological importance to the adopted person. The implications for first family members in the context of international contact/reunions have not been extensively studied. There are many complexities in navigating contact/relationships across the cultural, linguistic, and national differences inherent in intercountry adoption. This paper will review the extant literature and include clinical experiences of two adoption professionals who have facilitated first family contact/meetings following intercountry adoption. Content includes preparation for search, contact/meeting considerations, and supporting psychological integration for the adopted person, even when contact/meeting is not possible.

Korean Adoption to Australia as Quiet and Orderly Child Migration

Approximately 3600 Korean children have been adopted to Australia, as of 2023. Existing studies have tended to approach transnational or intercountry adoption from child development, social welfare, or identity perspectives. Research on Korean adoption to Australia is relatively scarce. The current article approaches the population from a migration perspective, building on Richard Weil’s conceptualization of transnational adoption as “quiet migration.” Drawing on both Korean-language data from South Korean governments and Australian data, the authors analyse Korean adoption to Australia as a state-sanctioned transnational migratory mechanism that facilitated the orderly movement of children from so-called “deficient” families of predominantly single mothers in South Korea to adoptive families in Australia. Situating adoption practices within the socio-political contexts and larger migration trends of both countries, the authors identify multiple enabling factors for channelling the ‘quiet’ flow of Korean children for adoption and argue the very ‘quietness’ of the adoption system is a source of concern despite Australia’s relatively stringent regulations. A migration perspective and analysis of these enabling factors contributes to the conceptualization of adoption as a socio-political state-sanctioned phenomenon, rather than a solely private family affair.

Green Political Science

Each year we have the honor to publish an article version of the APSA Presidential Address. In the six years we have done this John Ishiyama is the first comparativist whose work we have featured in this capacity. He presently holds an appointment as University Distinguished Research Professor of Political Science at the University of North Texas. John has long been a fixture in the subfield of comparative politics for his contributions on democratization, political parties, and ethnic politics in both the post-Soviet region and Africa. He has also written extensively on teaching, publishing, and assessment in political science. He has published over 150 articles. And while the outlets and subject matter are too diverse to summarize succinctly, we do want to mention that “The Politics of Intercountry Adoption: Explaining Variation in the Legal Requirements of Sub-Saharan African Countries,” coauthored with Marijke Breuning, won the 2010 APSA Heinz Eulau Award for Best Journal Article published in Perspectives on Politics during the previous year (2009).

Constructing National Boundaries and Decision for International Adoption : A Study of Mixed-Race Children of American Soldiers in Korea and Japan, and Native Women

Constructing National Boundaries and Decision for International Adoption : A Study of Mixed-Race Children of American Soldiers in Korea and Japan, and Native Women

Precocious puberty under stressful conditions: new understanding and insights from the lessons learnt from international adoptions and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Neuro-biological variations in the timing of sexual maturation within a species are part of an evolved strategy that depend on internal and external environmental conditions. An increased incidence of central precocious puberty (CPP) has been described in both adopted and "covid-19 pandemic" children. Until recently, it was hypothesised that the triggers for CPP in internationally adopted children were likely to be better nutrition, greater environmental stability, and improved psychological wellbeing. However, following data collected during and after the coronavirus (COVID-19) global pandemic, other possibilities must be considered. In a society with high levels of child wellbeing, the threat to life presented by an unknown and potentially serious disease and the stressful environment created by lockdowns and other public health measures could trigger earlier pubertal maturation as an evolutionary response to favour early reproduction. The main driver for increased rates of precocious and rapidly progressive puberty during the pandemic could have been the environment of "fear and stress" in schools and households. In many children, CPP may have been triggered by the psychological effects of living without normal social contact, using PPE, being near adults concerned about financial and other issues and the fear of getting ill. The features and time of progression of CPP in children during the pandemic are similar to those observed in adopted children. This review considers the mechanisms regulating puberty with a focus on neurobiological and evolutionary mechanisms, and analyses precocious puberty both during the pandemic and in internationally adopted children searching for common yet unconsidered factors in an attempt to identify the factors which may have acted as triggers. In particular, we focus on stress as a potential factor in the early activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis and its correlation with rapid sexual maturation.

Islamic Inheritance Law and Its Implications on the Rights of Adopted Children in IndonesiaPerspective on Adopted Children Enforcement in The Law of Inheritance

Adoption has developed into a widespread phenomenon in the context of Indonesian society. Due to the fact that adoption affects the interests of individuals within a family, adoption has been integrated into the legal framework that regulates family relationships As a result of the way it influences individual interests within the family, it has been incorporated into the legal framework governing family relationships. Article 39 of the Child Protection Law, adoptive parents must pay attention to the best interests of the child during the process, which must also be carried out in accordance with community habits, applicable laws and regulations. There are two categories of adoption in Indonesia: domestic adoption, which occurs between Indonesian citizens, and international adoption, which involves children of Indonesian citizens who are adopted by people who are not residents of Indonesia. The research method used is known as normative juridical research. This research method is used to understand and evaluate whether a legal regulation has complied with the applicable legal principles and formal requirements set by the law. The author chooses this method because it is relevant to various fields of law and generates new ideas. According to research, the inheritance rights of indigenous Indonesians are carried out based on Islamic law in situations involving Indonesian inheritance law. Adopted children are still considered biological parents and are not entitled to inherit from their adoptive parents. The local customary law system will determine how many adopted children are entitled to inheritance. Adopted children still receive inheritance from their biological parents, not from their adoptive parents because adopted children do not inherit from their adoptive parents. Increased public awareness and stricter regulations in Indonesia regarding adoption practices can help protect the rights and interests of children and promote safer and more secure adoption practices.

International Adoption of Children with Special Needs in Spain

International adoption has declined in recent years, although the adoption of children with special needs has arisen. We aim to describe our experience in the international adoption of children with special needs and to analyze the concordance between the pathologies included in pre-adoption reports and the diagnosis made upon arrival. We conducted a retrospective descriptive study including internationally adopted children with special needs evaluated at a reference Spanish unit between 2016 and 2019. Epidemiological and clinical variables were collected from medical records, and pre-adoption reports were compared to established diagnoses following their evaluation and complementary tests. Fifty-seven children were included: 36.8% females, a median age of 27 months [IQR:17-39], mostly coming from China (63.2%) and Vietnam (31.6%). The main pathologies described in the pre-adoption reports were congenital surgical malformations (40.3%), hematological (22.6%), and neurological (24.6%). The initial diagnosis that motivated the international adoption via special needs was confirmed in 79% of the children. After evaluation, 14% were diagnosed with weight and growth delay, and 17.5% with microcephaly, not previously reported. Infectious diseases were also prevalent (29.8%). According to our series, the pre-adoption reports of children with special needs appear accurate, with a low rate of new diagnoses. Pre-existing conditions were confirmed in almost 80% of cases.

Longitudinal data on speech outcomes in internationally adopted children compared with non-adopted children with cleft lip and palate.

At the beginning of the 21st century, international adoptions of children with cleft lip and/or palate increased dramatically in Sweden. Many children arrived partially or totally unoperated, despite being at an age when palatoplasty has usually been performed. To date, the speech development of internationally adopted (IA) children has been described up to age 7-8 years, but later development remains unstudied. To investigate speech development between ages 5 and 10 years in children born with cleft lip and palate (CLP) adopted from China and to compare them with non-adopted (NA) children with CLP. A secondary aim was to compare the frequencies of secondary palatal surgery and number of visits to a speech and language pathologist (SLP) between the groups. In a longitudinal study, 23 IA children from China were included and matched with 23 NA children born in Sweden. Experienced SLPs blindly reassessed audio recordings from routine follow-ups at ages 5 and 10 years. Velopharyngeal function (VPF) was assessed with the composite score for velopharyngeal competence (VPC-Sum) for single words and rated on a three-point scale (VPC-Rate) in sentence repetition. Target sounds in words and sentences were phonetically transcribed. Per cent correct consonants (PCC) were calculated at word and sentence levels. For in-depth analyses, articulation errors were divided into cleft speech characteristics (CSCs), developmental speech characteristics (DSCs) and s-errors. Information on secondary palatal surgery and number of visits to an SLP was collected. VPF differed significantly between the groups at both ages when assessed with VPC-Sum, but not with VPC-Rate. Regardless of the method for assessing VPF, a similar proportion in both groups had incompetent VPF but fewer IA than NA children had competent VPF at both ages. IA children had lower PCC at both ages at both word and sentence levels. More IA children had CSCs, DSCs and s-errors at age 5 years, and CSCs and s-errors at age 10. The development of PCC was significant in both groups between ages 5 and 10 years. The proportion of children receiving secondary palatal surgery did not differ significantly between the groups, nor did number of SLP visits. CSCs were more persistent in IA children than in NA children at age 10 years. Interventions should target both cleft and DSCs, be comprehensive and continue past the pre-school years. What is already known on this subject At the beginning of the 21st century, IA children with cleft lip and/or palate arrived in Sweden partially or totally unoperated, despite being at an age when palatoplasty has usually been performed. Studies up to age 7-8 years show that adopted children, compared with NA peers, have poorer articulation skills, demonstrate both cleft-related and developmental articulation errors, and are more likely to have velopharyngeal incompetence. Several studies also report that adopted children more often require secondary palatal surgery due to fistulas, dehiscence or velopharyngeal incompetence compared with NA peers. What this paper adds to existing knowledge This longitudinal study provides additional knowledge based on longer follow-ups than previous studies. It shows that the proportion of children assessed to have incompetent VPF was similar among IA and NA children. It was no significant difference between the groups regarding the proportion that received secondary palatal surgery. However, fewer IA children were assessed to have a competent VPF. Developmental articulation errors have ceased in most IA and all NA children at age 10 years, but significantly more adopted children than NA children still have cleft-related articulation errors. What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work? Speech and language therapy should target both cleft-related and developmental articulation errors. When needed, treatment must be initiated early, comprehensive, and continued past the pre-school years, not least for adopted children.

The Problems and Prospects of Child Adoption in Nigeria

It is not in dispute that children are an integral part of every family. More often than not, the absence of children in a family is viewed as problematic, especially in a place like Nigeria where indigenous customs and traditional practices still largely govern the beliefs of people. It is expected that every marriage should produce biological children; however, some couples are not that fortunate for various reasons ranging from barrenness to loss of pregnancy or non-survival of children. To this end, adoption offers such couples an alternative which makes it possible for them to have children which they can legally call their own, with all the rights, privileges and responsibilities over such children as if they were the biological parents. Although adoption is not a novel practice in the Nigerian Family Law, many challenges have hampered the smooth running of the process, particularly in recent times. Sadly, chief among these challenges is the bizarre reality of “baby factories” that the social welfare system has had to grapple with. Hence, in order to aid a proper interrogation of relevant issues, this paper is divided into five sections. Section I deals with introductory matters in relation to adoption; section two considers the legal framework regulating adoption in Nigeria; section three which is the thrust of the paper, considers the problems facing the child adoption system in Nigeria; section four takes a look at the position of intercountry adoption as well as the future of adoption in Nigeria; while section five concludes with meaningful suggestions that could uncurl the adoption system in Nigeria.

An international survey exploring the adoption and utility of diagnostic lung ultrasound by physiotherapists and respiratory therapists in intensive care.

Lung ultrasound (LUS) is an emerging assessment tool for intensive care unit (ICU) therapists (physiotherapists, physical therapists and respiratory therapists) to aid pathology identification, intervention selection, clinical reasoning and as an outcome measure to assess intervention efficacy. However, the extent of LUS adoption and use by ICU therapists internationally has not been described in the literature. This survey explored the interest in LUS amongst ICU therapists internationally. In addition, LUS training, use in clinical practice and barriers to implementation were also explored. The survey findings were used to facilitate recommendations for future adoption. International ICU therapists were invited to answer a 37 question cross-sectional open e-survey, distributed using the online survey tool REDCap®. The exact sample size of eligible ICU therapists from around the world is unknown, therefore the participant responses received were a representative convenience sample of the international ICU therapist population. Survey links were posted on the relevant web pages and social media forums utilised by various ICU therapist associations and professional organisations worldwide. A snowballing technique was used to encourage survey participants to forward the survey link within their professional networks. The survey was open on REDCap® for an 8-week period between March and May 2021. Three hundred twenty ICU therapists from 30 countries responded with most respondents coming from either the United Kingdom (n = 94) or Australia (n = 87). Eighty-nine of the ICU therapist respondents (30%) reported being users of LUS, however, 40 of those 89 respondents reported having no formal accreditation. The top clinical indications to perform a LUS scan were changes on chest radiograph, altered findings on auscultation and a low partial pressure of arterial oxygen/fraction of inspired oxygen ratio. The 71% of LUS users reported that their ICU does not have a local policy in place to guide ICU therapists' use of LUS. Most LUS users (82%) only document their LUS findings in the patient's medical notes and (73%) only store the LUS clips on the ICU's ultrasound machine. The 85% of respondents perceive LUS becoming an increasing part of their objective assessment in the future and 96% report that they have other ICU therapist colleagues interested in adopting LUS. Main reasons why respondents believe that ICU therapists are not adopting LUS in their ICU are a difficulty in access to appropriate training, mentorship, and a lack of local governance policy guiding their use of LUS. To the authors' knowledge this is the first study to explore the international adoption and utility of LUS by ICU therapists. LUS is a growing technique with widespread interest from ICU therapists internationally with a desire to adopt LUS into their assessments and upskill their practice. ICU therapists' use of LUS could allow more targetted and appropriate treatment for patients on ICU. Barriers to LUS adoption could be mitigated by having access to quality training programmes and mentorship. Development of profession specific guidance and policies within local infrastructure should facilitate growth and ensure robust quality assurance and governance processes.