The Long-Term Effects of Transracial Adoption

Feigelman, William; Silverman, Arnold R.

doi:10.1086/644240

Cited by 52 publications

(51 citation statements)

References 6 publications

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“…See Brooks & Barth (1999), Feigelman & Silverman (1984), and Silverman (1980) for past findings. No significant group differences by race were found on problem behaviors and adjustment problems.…”

Section: Samplementioning

confidence: 99%

The Transracial Adoption Paradox

Lee

2003

The Counseling Psychologist

290

137

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The number of transracial adoptions in the United States, particularly international adoptions, is increasing annually. Counseling psychology as a profession, however, is a relatively silent voice in the research on and practice of transracial adoption. This article presents an overview of the history and research on transracial adoption to inform counseling psychologists of the set of racial and ethnic challenges and opportunities that transracial adoptive families face in everyday living. Particular attention is given to emergent theory and research on the cultural socialization process within these families.The older I get, the more I realize I can't avoid being Korean. Every time I look into the mirror, I am Korean. When I look at family pictures, I feel that I stand out. I guess it shouldn't bother me, but sometimes it does. Even though I may seem very American ...I want to be distinctly Korean. I know I'm not in terms of having all the Korean traditions, but I don't want people to see me and say, "Because she grew up in a Caucasian family, and because she is very Americanized, she's white." That's not what I want anymore.Janine Bishop (1996, p. 309) The opening passage by Janine Bishop (1996), a 20-year-old Korean adoptee college student, illustrates the transracial adoption paradox that confronts racial/ethnic minority children who are adopted by White parents. Namely, adoptees are racial/ethnic minorities in society, but they are perceived and treated by others, and sometimes themselves, as if they are members of the majority culture (i.e., racially White and ethnically European) due to adoption into a White family. This set of contradictory experiences that are nevertheless true has been of particular interest to adoptive families, adoption professionals, and researchers in the United States and Europe over the past 50 years (Fanshel, 1972;McRoy & Zurcher, 1983;Simon & Altstein, 2000;Tizard, 1991).The purpose of this article is to address some of the psychological and cultural questions raised by the transracial adoption paradox: What are the psychological consequences of growing up in a transracial adoptive family? How do the unique experiences of transracial adoptees shape racial/ethnic identity development? Do parents' and children's efforts to overcome racial and ethnic differences relate to psychological adjustment? A brief review of the history and controversies surrounding transracial adoption in the United States is presented and followed by a selective review of the empirical literature on transracial adoption. Drawing on the reviewed research, a cultural socialization framework is proposed to understand the psychological and cultural dynamics pertinent to transracial adoptive families. The article concludes with ways in which counseling psychology can contribute to the improvement of transracial adoption research and practice. MODERN HISTORY OF TRANSRACIAL ADOPTIONTransracial adoption is defined as "the joining of racially different parents and children together in adoptive familie...

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Section: Samplementioning

confidence: 99%

The Transracial Adoption Paradox

Lee

2003

The Counseling Psychologist

290

137

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“…Accordingly, many researchers have raised questions about the implications of adoption on adolescent development. For the most part, empirical research conducted in this area has reported positive outcomes (or similar outcomes as non-adopted counterparts) for adopted individuals (Brodzinksy, Smith, & Brodzinsky, 1998;Finley, 1999;McRoy & Zurcher, 1983;Silverman, 1993;Simon & Alstein, 1992), particularly compared to forms of institutional care (Feigelman and Silverman, 1984;Schorr, 2000;Burrow and Finley, 2001). …”

Section: Adoptionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…To relate these findings to transracial adoptions, Feigelman and Silverman (1984) suggested that international adoptees and domestic transracial adoptees share similarities in separation from birth parents and culture, physical differences from parents, and prejudice. In this way, a possible conclusion to be drawn from these findings is that adoptions wherein the parent and child do not share a race can be an additional risk factor for maladaptive developmental outcomes, specifically within adolescence for the adoptee.…”

Section: Adolescence and Adoptionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…As an alternative explanation, adoptive parents may be more likely to refer their children to a mental health agency, due to their own insecurities and anxieties, or because they are more familiar with mental health institutions than non-adoptive parents (Warren, 1992;Brodzinsky, Smith & Brodzinsky, 1998;Brodzinsky, Lang, & Smith 1988). In this way, adoption is considered by most investigators to be a viable means of ensuring adaptive outcomes; certainly compared to adverse institutional or foster care (Feigelman & Silverman, 1984;Schorr, 2000;Burrow & Finley, 2001). …”

Section: Adoptee Versus Non-adoptee Empirical Researchmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Essentially, within the United States transracial placements involve Black, Asian, and South and Central American being adopted by white parents (Brodzinsky, Smith, & Brodzinsky, 1998 While there are fundamental differences between these two types of adoptions that require unique methods of investigation, some scholars believe that both share commonalties deeming them sufficiently alike: a loss of biological parents and birth culture (Feigelman & Silverman, 1984). …”

Section: Historical Overviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Implications of adolescent development upon transracial adoptees

Burrow¹

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Children in Diverse Social Contexts

Murry

Hill

Witherspoon

et al. 2015

Handbook of Child Psychology and Developmental Science

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Children grow up in families with cultural backgrounds and beliefs, and in families with varying financial resources and social capital. They reside in communities and neighborhoods that are homogeneous or diverse, with varying levels of resources and risks. The primary purpose of this chapter is to draw attention to and integrate knowledge on contextual factors for a more holistic understanding of normative development. This chapter synthesizes extant studies that have examined ways in which race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, geographic residence, immigration status, and family formation status (e.g., transracial adoption) are associated with both normative (e.g., social emotional well‐being, academic aspiration, prosocial friendships) and nonnormative (e.g., externalizing behaviors, high‐risk behaviors, school dropout,) child development; identifies methodological and theoretical strengths and weaknesses of extant studies; and provides recommendations to advance future studies of child development in diverse contexts.

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The Long-Term Effects of Transracial Adoption

Cited by 52 publications

References 6 publications

The Transracial Adoption Paradox

The Transracial Adoption Paradox

Implications of adolescent development upon transracial adoptees

Children in Diverse Social Contexts

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