The psycho-social sense of identity, which is an important component of the sense of self, emerges during childhood and adolescence but is a lifelong process. In intercountry adopted children, additional layers are added to the initial difference of being adopted-in outward appearance and in cultural heritage-that do not match those of the adoptive parents. These may interfere with empathic bonding and with the integration of facets of identity into a meaningful narrative. The article addresses a particular subgroup of adoptive parents-those who have immigrated to Israel in their recent or remote past. Using the framework of self psychology, it suggests ways of helping immigrant adoptive parents to create an empathic affect-bridge with their children, who "immigrate" to a new family as well as to a new country, by tapping their own experiences as immigrants. © 2005 Springer Science+Business Media, Inc.

intercountry adoption immigrants empathy Self-psychology Adoptive parenting Identity

[No Keywords available]