Associations between discussions of racial and ethnic differences in internationally adoptive families and delinquent behavior among Korean adopted adolescents |
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| Institution: | 1. Department of Family Social Science, University of Minnesota, 290 McNeal Hall, 1985 Buford Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55108, USA;2. Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota, N218 Elliott Hall, 75 East River Road, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA;1. State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, PR China;2. National Innovation Center for Assessment of Basic Education Quality, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, PR China;3. Department of Literacy Education, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL, USA;1. National Center on Adoption and Permanency (Northern California Office), 129 Calvert Court, Oakland, CA 94611, USA;2. Department of Psychology, Clark University, 950 Main Street, Worcester, MA 01610, USA;1. Department of History, Philosophy, and Social Sciences, Pittsburg State University, 412 Russ Hall, 1701 South Broadway, Pittsburg, KS 66762, United States;2. La Follette School of Public Affairs, School of Social Work, Institute for Research on Poverty, University of Wisconsin — Madison, 1180 Observatory Drive, Madison, WI 53706, United States;3. School of Social Work, Institute for Research on Poverty, University of Wisconsin — Madison, 1180 Observatory Drive, Madison, WI 53706, United States |
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| Abstract: | Internationally adopted adolescents may have more delinquent behavior than non-adopted adolescents. One explanation is that these adolescents experience discrimination and loss of culture, and adoptive parents are not adequately addressing these experiences. However, studies have not examined the effects of family discussions of racial and ethnic differences within adoptive families on adopted adolescents' delinquent behavior. To test this relationship, this study utilized data from 111 U.S. internationally adoptive families with 185 South Korean adopted adolescents (55% female, M age = 17.75). During an observational assessment, families discussed the importance of their racial and ethnic differences, and adolescents completed a delinquent behavior questionnaire. Analysis of covariance showed differences in adolescent delinquent behavior across three ways adoptive families discussed racial and ethnic differences; adolescents whose families acknowledged differences had the fewest mean delinquent behaviors. There were no significant differences in delinquent behavior between adolescents whose families acknowledged or rejected the importance of racial and ethnic differences. However, adopted adolescents whose families held discrepant views of differences had significantly more problem behavior than adolescents whose families either acknowledged or rejected the importance of racial and ethnic differences. Clinicians, adoption professionals, and other parenting specialists should focus on building cohesive family identities about racial and ethnic differences, as discrepant views of differences are associated with the most adoptee delinquent behavior. |
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