False Narratives: Illicit Practices in Colombian Transnational Adoption

Branco, Susan F.; Cloonan, Veronica

doi:10.3390/genealogy6040080

Cited by 3 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 26 publications

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“…Our findings corroborate other research describing how transnational adoption can impact identity development for the adoptee (Baden et al 2013;Branco 2021;Branco and Cloonan 2022;Brodzinsky et al 2022;Mahmood and Visser 2015;Lamanna et al 2018;Roszia and Maxon 2019). Previous research on identity and adoption determined that when adoptees choose labels that do not coincide with their phenotypes, it is seen as an unhealthy racial identity (Baden and Steward 2007).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 91%

“…Our study also reinforced the reality of illicit adoption practices in Colombian international adoption to the United States (Branco and Cloonan 2022;Branco 2021;Carreazo 2016). Half of the participants described unethical circumstances and practices impacting their adoptions which they discovered as adults.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 78%

“…The current research confirms the unfortunate outcomes of transracial adoptions that often lead to documentation discrepancies, impacting the child's identity (Baden et al 2012;Branco 2021;Branco and Cloonan 2022). Adoption rights activists have been somewhat successful at increasing US sanctions and judicial reforms (Cheney 2021).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 69%

“…Adoption rights activists have been somewhat successful at increasing US sanctions and judicial reforms (Cheney 2021). Colombian international adoption has decreased after several cases of illicit adoptions were documented (Branco 2021;Branco and Cloonan 2022;Carreazo 2016; Instituto Colombiano de Bienestar Familiar (ICBF) 2022). Intercountry adoptions have also decreased in Uganda, Spain, China, Russia, and Guatemala (Cheney 2021;San Román 2021).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Colombian adoptees are responsible for defining and integrating their racial and ethnic identity to reflect their unique experiences of transracial adoption. In addition, unlawful practices of Colombian adoptions have been well documented (Branco and Cloonan 2022;Branco 2021). When illicit adoption occurs, falsification of documents and inaccurate information is often found in the adoption history.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 4 more Smart Citations

The Racial and Ethnic Identity Development Process for Adult Colombian Adoptees

Cloonan¹,

Hatfield

Branco

et al. 2023

Genealogy

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This research aimed to understand the process adult Colombian adoptees raised in the United States of America go through to define themselves in the context of race and ethnicity. The research followed a qualitative narrative methodology, in which six participants were interviewed twice regarding their experiences with transracial and transnational adoption and their ethnic and racial identity process. The results suggest that identity is a dynamic process. Our research also confirms Colombian’s history of unethical adoptions and its influence on the complexity of identity and loss of adult Colombian adoptees. Throughout the article, the researchers use the term biological family referring to Colombian birth families. However, we acknowledge that other terms (i.e., first, natural, original, etc.) are also used in the adoptee community.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 91%

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 78%

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 69%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

The Racial and Ethnic Identity Development Process for Adult Colombian Adoptees

Cloonan¹,

Hatfield

Branco

et al. 2023

Genealogy

Self Cite

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Unsettled adoptive identity: Understanding relationship challenges in adopted adolescents' identity narratives

Lo,

Grotevant,

Baden

et al. 2023

Family Process

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Adopted adolescents create identity narratives conceptualizing their connections to their families of adoption and birth. Previous work with a sample of adoptive adolescents identified a sub‐group who reported negative experiences regarding adoption as part of their navigating of adoptive identity processes (the “Unsettled” group). The current study examined interviews with adolescents in the “Unsettled” group to elucidate these negative experiences, specifically through identifying the relationship challenges linked to adoption. Participants included 30 adopted adolescents (18 females, 12 males) from a longitudinal study of adoptive families. All the adolescents (M age = 15.2 years) were domestically adopted in infancy by heterosexual couples who were the same race as the adolescents (29 White, 1 Mexican American). Thematic analysis revealed six themes reflecting adolescents' relationship challenges as related to adoption, both in terms of interpersonal interactions and how relational experiences influenced adolescents' thoughts and feelings of past, present, and future selves: (a) Negative experiences in relationships with adoptive family members, (b) Negative experiences in relationships with birth family members, (c) Difficulties in the adoptive kinship network, (d) Negative thoughts and feelings toward the self as an adopted person, (e) Negative views toward adoption as a form of building a family, and (f) Negative connections between adoption and future relationships. Multiple subthemes were also identified that built upon topics within the adoption and family systems literature, such as communication among family members, navigation of birth family contact, and adopted adolescents' perceptions of loss. Also identified were four profiles across themes. Implications for mental health providers and adoption professionals are discussed.

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Racial and Ethnic Identity of Transnational Adoptees: A Model Reflecting the Lived Experience of Adult Colombian Adoptees

Cloonan,

Branco

2024

The Family Journal

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International and transracial adoptions have been practiced by multiple developed countries since World War II, where transracial adoptees are removed from their country of origin and raised by parents of a completely different cultural and racial background. In the United States, adoption was institutionalized after the Korean War, making adoption across races a common practice. This demographic change brings different developmental challenges to the transracial adoptee, including the task of racial and ethnic identity. In this dissertation study, the authors dived into the narratives of six Colombian transracial adoptees raised in the United States by White parents to understand their stories regarding their racial and ethnic identity process. The authors’ findings include the development of a racial and ethnic identity model that emerged from the participants’ themes and common lived experiences, including five nonlinear stages: questioning and curiosity; action-seeking behaviors; judgment and expectations; reculturation and reclaiming; and wanting to embrace both identities. Adult Colombian adoptees highlighted the fluidity of their racial and ethnic identity process and the importance of reclaiming and reconnecting with their Colombian part of self as part of this process. The ethnic and racial identity model informs mental health professionals’ clinical and professional practice by offering a guide to comprehending the process and some of the common experiences around ethnic and racial identity among transracial adoptees.

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False Narratives: Illicit Practices in Colombian Transnational Adoption

Cited by 3 publications

References 26 publications

The Racial and Ethnic Identity Development Process for Adult Colombian Adoptees

The Racial and Ethnic Identity Development Process for Adult Colombian Adoptees

Unsettled adoptive identity: Understanding relationship challenges in adopted adolescents' identity narratives

Racial and Ethnic Identity of Transnational Adoptees: A Model Reflecting the Lived Experience of Adult Colombian Adoptees

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