Sense of self: A narrative study of international adult Korean adoptees’ relationship with their birth families

Abstract

Adult adoptees searching and reuniting with birth families have been observed as a normative developmental work. The purpose of this study was to explore international adult Korean adoptees’ sense of self through their relationships with their birth families. A qualitative approach implementing narrative inquiry was used for this study. Open-ended interviews were conducted with nine international adult Korean adoptees who have had reunion experiences with their birth families and have continuing relationships with their birth families. This study concludes that international adult Korean adoptees’ relationships with their birth families precipitate the ongoing development of their senses of self in their adulthoods.

The Reclamation of Self: Kinship and Identity in Transnational Colombian Adoptee First Family Reunions

“…The third theme, identity reclamation, captures how participants in our study experienced biological connection with first family members as well as engaged in a broad variety of reculturative activities (Baden et al, 2012). Our findings are corroborated by research suggestive of the power of biological ties between adoptees and birth families as noted in Godon et al (2014), Koskinen and Böök’s (2019), Müller & Perry, (2001b), and Son (2013). The theme exemplifies the TrAKN competency to “Recognize the importance of transracial adoptees’ engagement in reculturative activities (e.g., immersion, education, and experience, to reclaim aspects of birth culture) in the process of racial, cultural, and adoptive identity development” (Kenney et al, 2015, p. 27).…”

“…The theme and subthemes underscore the TrAKN competencies suggesting counselors be aware of the impact of reunion on transnational adoptee relationships and developmental process while also understanding the realities of post reunion maintenance (Kenney et al, 2015). The theme's content is also corroborated by both Kirton et al (2000), Docan-Morgan’s (2014, 2016), and Son’s (2013) studies regarding the impact of discovering new birth family information and building relationships with first parents, siblings, and extended family members.…”

“…Son’s (2013) research examined the lived experiences of transnational Korean adoptees in search and reunion. Their participants revealed themes related to childhood into adulthood, racial, ethnic, and cultural, identity confusion related to transracial adoptee status and physical appearance differences with their adoptive family; a quest to resolve “lifelong unanswered questions” (Son, 2013, p. 278) about their adoption stories and birth families; cultural barriers and challenges with birth family relationships; and a reconstruction of their sense of self considering their reunion experiences.…”

Discursive struggles in “real” families: Korean adoptees, adoptive parents, and birth family reunions

“…Yet adoptees and their adoptive parents may need to navigate challenging conversations when a birth family reunion is imminent or occurring. In these situations, adoptees may feel pulled between feelings of loyalty to their adoptive parents (Jones, 2015; Palmer, 2011) and their desire to learn about their birth family and origins (Son, 2017). Adoptive parents may also feel conflicted, wanting to support their child in this process but also fearing losing their child to the birth parents (Park Nelson, 2016).…”