Does emotion regulation moderate the discrimination-adjustment link for adopted Korean American adolescents?

Abstract

Growing up in a White family does not necessarily protect internationally adopted Korean Americans raised in White families from the pernicious effects of discrimination. Emotion regulation strategies may buffer the effects of discrimination on psychological adjustment, yet little research has been conducted on these links. To fill this gap, we examined the relationship between emotion regulation, discrimination and psychological adjustment in a sample of adopted Korean American adolescents (N ϭ 115). Using both parent and adopted child reports across 2 waves of data (7 years apart), we addressed 2 questions.First, what are the different emotion regulation profiles and how do they correspond to psychological adjustment? Second, controlling for adjustment in childhood, do these emotion regulation profiles moderate the association between discrimination and psychological adjustment? We found 3 distinct profiles using cluster analysis: high reappraisal/low suppression (HR/LS), high reappraisal/moderate suppression (HR/MS), and moderate reappraisal/moderate suppression (MR/MS). The HR/LS profile showed the best adjustment, whereas the MR/MS profile reported the most adjustment problems. However, emotion regulation profiles did not moderate the association between perceived discrimination and psychological adjustment. What is the public significance of this article?The current study seeks to advance research in transracial adoptees' unique postadoption racial experience. We uncovered 3 distinct combinations of emotion regulation strategies that transracial Korean American adoptees use to cope with situational cues-including discrimination. Each of these emotion regulation profiles was associated with differential patterns of adjustment.

Racist experiences, openness to discussing racism, and attitudes toward ethnic heritage activities: Adoptee–parent discrepancies.

“…Although issues of race have not been largely represented in the discourse concerning transnational adoption, existing research suggests that ATAs are not exempt from racial stress and prejudice (Kim et al, 2010; Lee et al, 2015; Qin et al, 2017). As they age and develop more cognitive maturity, studies suggest that ATAs often face a variety of racial stressors.…”

“…Although it is not uncommon for parents and children to hold different perspectives, studies suggest there is a greater likelihood for relational conflict (Kim, Zarit, Birditt, & Fingerman, 2014) and adjustment difficulties (Ohannessian, 2012) when family members hold significantly different views about sensitive issues, such as racism. In addition, it is particularly important to explore parents’ ability to recognize the racial nature of ATAs’ experiences, given that racial prejudice can have a negative impact on youth of color (García Coll et al, 1996; Qin, Kim, Su, Hu, & Lee, 2017) and has been specifically linked with increased behavioral difficulties (Hjern, Lindblad, & Vinnerljung, 2002; Lee, 2010) and higher psychological distress among international adoptees (Lee, Lee, Hu, & Kim, 2015). Overall, the study results are intended to provide a more critical understanding of the experiences of ATAs and other transnational adoptees as people of color.…”

Emotion regulation difficulties and borderline personality disorder: The moderating role of race.

“…Another critical factor to consider is exposure to discrimination and oppression. For example, racial discrimination was associated with greater ER difficulties and psychopathology among Black, Latino, and multiracial gay and bisexual men (English, Rendina, & Parsons, 2018), and greater psychopathology among adopted Korean American adolescents (Qin, Kim, Su, Hu, & Lee, 2017), and Asian participants (Hwang & Goto, 2008). In the current study, race served as a poor proxy for cultural values or experiences of discrimination, and it is impossible to determine whether the differences that emerged are specifically due to cultural background, experiences of discrimination, or other sociocultural/sociopolitical variables.…”

Mental health and behavioural difficulties in adopted children: A systematic review of post-adoption risk and protective factors

“…Ethnic identity and discrimination. Six studies explored the relationship between psychological adjustment, ethnic identity development and experiences of discrimination, mostly among internationally adopted children (Juffer and van IJzendoorn;Lee, 2010;Qin, et al, 2017;Schires, et al, 2020;. Three US studies found that discrimination was linked to greater internalising and externalising problems, depressive symptoms and psychological distress (Lee; Schires; Qin) with another showing that discrimination was greater for parents of Asian and Latin American children than for white Eastern European children.…”