Identity Development in a Transracial Environment: Racial/Ethnic Minority Adoptees in Minnesota

Abstract

It has been argued that transracial adopted children have increased risk for problems related to self-esteem and ethnic identity development. We evaluated this hypothesis across four groups of transracial adoptees: Asian (N = 427), Latino (N = 28), Black (N = 6), Mixed/Other (N = 20), and same-race white adoptees (N = 126) from 357 adoptive families. No mean differences were found in adoptee’s ratings of affect about adoption, or of curiosity about birthparents. Some differences were found in general identity development and adjustment. There were notable differences in communication about race/ethnicity across groups and between parent and child report.

“It wasn't feasible for us”: Queer Women of Color Navigating Family Formation

“…Ideological justifications for transracial adoption, including international adoption, often lie in claims that White families can provide a healthier environment for children of color than their communities of origin, relying on assumptions of White cultural superiority. Some scholars and activists have labeled the disproportionate adoption of Black and Native American children into White families as forms of cultural genocide (Hamilton, Samek, Keyes, McGue, & Iacono, ; Simon & Hernandez, ) via the erasure of children of color's origins. Adoptive practices have been introduced as an integral consideration in the conceptualization of historical trauma in indigenous populations, where such histories may feel particularly relevant (Evans‐Campbell, ).…”

“…The literature on adoption also raises questions related to the race of the child in the context of the family. The National Association of Black Social Workers and the National Indian Child Welfare Association condemn transracial adoption (Hamilton et al, ). Black discomfort with transracial adoption (Carter‐Black, ), and limited willingness among LBQ women of color to adopt children from different racial groups (Goldberg & Smith, ) suggest that LBQ women of color may respond to the historical trauma of transracial adoption by choosing to raise children from their own racial groups or by rejecting adoption altogether.…”

Self-Acceptance in Black and White

“…Following this idea of deliberate culturally relevant parenting, Hamilton, Samek, Keyes, McGue, and Iacono [24] studied the identity development of transracial and same-race adoptees and focused on parent and child "communication about race and ethnicity as an element of identity development" (p. 221). Their study found that there was little to no difference in the identity development and adjustment of same-race and transracial adoptees, but that transracial adoptees and their parents had a markedly higher level of communication, with adoptive parents of Black transracial adoptees "reporting the highest level of racial/ethnic communication" [24] (p. 223). This suggests that it is inherently natural for parents of transracial adoptees to not only embrace their cultural/racial/ethnic differences, but to also openly communicate with their children about them.…”

Ethnic Socialization and Perceived Discrimination on Ethnic Identity Among Transracial Adoptees: A Cross-Cultural Comparison Between Italy and the United States

“…Thus, we expected national context would differentially moderate the relationships among ethnic socialization, perceived discrimination, and ethnic identity. Most previous studies have focused on heterogeneous groups of adoptees without considering their different ethnic backgrounds, with few exceptions (Hamilton, Samek, Keyes, McGue, & Iacono, 2015; R. M. Lee & The Minnesota International Adoption Project Team, 2010). For this reason, two homogeneous groups-internationally adopted youth from South Korea and Latin America-living in the United States and Italy, respectively, were selected.…”