Development and Initial Validation of the Transracial Adoption Parenting Scale—Revised

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to provide an initial validation of a revision of the Transracial Adoption Parenting Scale-Revised (TAPS-R) with international transracial adoptive parents. Method: This study employed a cross-sectional, online survey design to recruit transracial adoptive parents from a parent support group, Families for Chinese Children. Results: Exploratory factor analysis reveals that the 47-item TAPS-R is a valid scale, which includes four factors: racial awareness, multicultural planning, integration, and coping skills. The analysis results of Cronbach's a coefficient revealed that the scale as a whole and subscales have good or excellent reliability. Using correlational analyses, construct validity was established. Discussion: The TAPS-R proved to have sound reliability and validity to measure racial awareness and cultural and racial socialization practices and thus can be useful in transracial adoption parenting.

Ethnic–Racial Socialization in the Family: A Decade's Advance on Precursors and Outcomes

“…In a similar vein, two measures of familial ethnic–racial socialization specific to the context of transracial adoption emerged. One measure (Langrehr, Thomas, & Morgan, ) focused on prejudice awareness, racial–ethnic pride, and egalitarianism, whereas the second (J. Lee, Crolley‐Simic, & Vonk, ) focused on racial awareness, multicultural planning, integration, and coping skills. We also saw increased attention to earlier developmental periods, as Derlan et al () published two measures targeting caregivers' (a) attitudes about the importance of engaging in ethnic–racial socialization with their children about race and ethnicity and (b) ethnic–racial socialization behaviors.…”

“I’ve Really Let Go of the Language Thing.”: Language Learning in Transracial Adoptive Families in South Africa

“…Although they hope that knowing the language gives their children more opportunities to engage with people from their birth culture, the adoptive parents recognize that this might not be enough to integrate their children into these spaces (Breshears, 2022). Survival skills, later called coping skills (J. Lee et al, 2018), refer to transracial adoptive parents’ recognition of the need to prepare their children to cope with racism and the ability to impart the necessary skills to do so (Vonk, 2001).…”

Fostering Racial and Ethnic Identity for Transracial Adoptees: The Importance of Culturally Competent Transracial Adoption Training Programs for White Adoptive Parents

“…Focusing on parental perception of their socialization practices is a limitation as one study showed that parents tended to report engaging in higher levels of socialization practices than their children reported (Hu, Zhou, & Lee, 2017). In an age of colorblindness, defined as "the denial of racial dynamics," many white parents are unequipped to address the multifaceted ways in which racism, bias, and discrimination affect people of color in society, even (or especially) when it comes to their TRA (Lee, Crolley-Simic & Vonk, 2018;Morgan & Langrehr, 2019). In same race families of color, discussion of racial structures in society is a common practice in many homes and built within the family structure (Morgan & Langrehr, 2019).…”

“…The development of a racial or ethnic identity comes about through racial awareness, cultural socialization, and racial socialization (Lee, Crolley-Simic & Vonk, 2018). Racial awareness is one's understanding of race in their own life and in other people's lives.…”

“…It is likely that parents who experience forms of discrimination about their adoption status were able to better understand other stigmatized groups and identify the forms of discrimination facing them (Morgan & Langrehr). Training to identify one's own experiences facing discrimination and education on white privilege in society would likely help TRA parents CULTURALLY COMPETENT ADOPTION TRAINING 11 to have a better understanding of racial discrimination leading to higher levels of racial socialization and better mental health outcomes for TRAs (Morgan & Langrehr) The TAPS-R was found to be a reliable measure of parenting awareness and skill (Lee, Crolley-Simic & Vonk, 2018). This scale is helpful for practitioners working with TRA families to identify the strengths and weaknesses of parental cultural and racial socialization skills (Lee, Crolley-Simic & Vonk).…”