In Their Own Voices: Identity and Racial Socialization Experiences of Young Adult Chinese Adoptees

Abstract

This qualitative study explored the experiences of transracial Chinese adoptees who were born in China, separated from their biological families, raised in the United States by White families, and given an Anglicized name at the time of their adoption. This study focused on participant experiences as they navigated being raised in the United States as transracial Chinese adoptees, their feelings related to their Chinese names, thoughts about China and birth family search, and experiences of ethnic and racial socialization within their adoptive families. Data were collected from in-depth, semi-structured interviews via Skype that integrated a constructivist–interpretivist and critical epistemological paradigm and coded using grounded-theory methods. Participants ( N = 8) were transracial Chinese adoptees with ages ranging from 18 to 25 years ( M = 21.5 years) who were between 6 and 17 months ( M = 10.6 months) at the time of adoption. Results from the interviews revealed eight axial categories and three overarching selective categories related to their experience as transracial Chinese adoptees: (a) experiences of race and adoption, (b) factors influencing racial–ethnic socialization, and (c) recommendations for adoptive parents. Limitations of the study, future areas of research, and clinical and practice implications are discussed.

From model minority to racial threat: Chinese transracial adoptees’ experience navigating the COVID-19 pandemic.

“…Adoptive parents may endorse the phrase “Chinese virus” or listen to broadcasts in which the phrase is continuously repeated, creating a hostile space. Further, the increase in anti-Asian sentiment may exacerbate Chinese transracial adoptees’ tendency to feel ill-equipped to cope with racism, stemming from their White parents perhaps having inadequately prepared them to address it (Reynolds et al, 2020). White adoptive parents may not only lack the necessary strategies to address racial discrimination, but may also be less able to recognize and name instances of it, resulting from their lack of personal experience of racism (Langrehr, 2014).…”

“…Some adoptive parents may persist in assuming a colorblind approach, minimizing the importance of acknowledging race within the family and the existence of racism at large (Barn, 2013; Chang et al, 2017; Morgan & Langrehr, 2019; Reynolds et al, 2020). White parents are likely to deny the personal experiences of racism of their children of Color (Dolan, 2015), and may feel threatened or guilty if their children of Color mention such experiences (Langrehr, 2014).…”

“…However, searches for and reunions with birth parents are often complicated for transnational adoptees (Wang et al, 2015). In fact, they are especially unrealistic for Chinese transracial adoptees (Ponte et al, 2010; Reynolds et al, 2020). As a consequence of the One Child Policy, both the birth and abandonment of an additional child were considered illegal acts, often leading to the falsification of adoption documentation (Wang et al, 2015).…”

Understanding Adoption as a Reproductive Justice Issue

“…Adoptive parents may be unequipped for everyday practices like caring for their children's hair texture as well as larger issues like preparing their children for the pervasive racism they will face interpersonally and institutionally (Killian & Khanna, 2019;Wright, 2006). Additionally, transracially adopted children may feel uncomfortable talking to their white parents about experiences of racism (Reynolds et al, 2021). As the family is a primary source of ethnic-racial socialization, being raised by white parents often means that transracial adoptees must navigate their ethnic-racial identity development alone.…”

“…Although there is greater awareness of the harms of racial colorblindness in transracial adoptions, much work remains to be done. As a growing number of transracial adoptee adults have spoken out about their experiences being raised as a person of color in a transracial, colorblind family, adoption best practices now recognize the importance of having relationships with people of the same racial and ethnic background and engaging with birth culture for adopted people's ethnic identity development (e.g., Reynolds et al, 2021). However, social workers at adoption agencies have little incentive to confront prospective white adoptive parents' discomfort in addressing race while raising children of color despite it being in the best interest of their child (Raleigh, 2018).…”