Little is known on how transracial adoptees (TRA) navigate issues of race and ethnicity. Using Shared Fate Theory as a framework, this study was interested in the moderating role of adoption status among a group of ethnic minority adults in explaining the relationship between ethnic socialization, perceived discrimination, and mental health outcomes. Nonadopted (NA; n = 83) and TRA (n = 87) ethnic minorities responded to measures on ethnic socialization, perceived discrimination, and psychological outcomes administered online. TRA and NA ethnic minorities reported similar levels of ethnic socialization, perceived discrimination, and psychological outcomes (depression and self-esteem). Perceived discrimination was significantly associated with depression for both TRA and NA ethnic minorities. Ordinal Least Squares (OLS) regressions that were run for a moderated moderational analysis suggest that the protective role of ethnic socialization depended on adoption status. Among the different forms of ethnic socialization, cultural socialization and preparation for bias significantly buffered against the effects of perceived discrimination, but the effects were more pronounced for TRA than for NA ethnic minorities. Because NA and TRA ethnic minorities were similarly affected by discrimination, it suggests that being a TRA does not confer any additional risk when experiencing discrimination. Additionally, the study found that ethnic socialization may continue to serve a protective role against the effects of discrimination into adulthood for TRA, but less so for NA ethnic minorities. These results have policy implications regarding the role of parental ethnicity in adoption decisions as well as the importance of educating adopted parents about ethnic socialization for ethnic minority children. (PsycINFO Database Record

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The deleterious effects of child sexual abuse (CSA) on youth’s social, emotional, physical, cognitive, neurobiological, sexual and developmental functioning are pervasive. Early targeted interventions for both the child who experienced CSA and their nonoffending caregivers are essential for healing and recovery. Effective interventions which are tailored to the youth’s developmental level can help mitigate or even prevent some of the serious and enduring negative effects of CSA, including symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This chapter is not comprehensive, but examines evidence based interventions for children and adolescents who have been sexually abused including Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Additionally, this chapter will address systemic factors in CSA, recommending coordinated and trauma informed efforts utilizing an interdisciplinary approach, which may include a forensic medical team, investigators, prosecutors and other disciplines. This professional collaboration can prevent retraumatization of the child as the child and family navigate the sequela of CSA.

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