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Thesis (Ph.D.)--Brite Divinity School, Texas Christian University, 2008. / Title from dissertation title page (viewed May 13, 2008). Includes abstract. "Dissertation presented to the Faculty of the Brite Divinity School in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Pastoral Theology and Pastoral Counseling." Includes bibliographical references.

abstract: International adoption in the U.S. remains a viable option for families who wish to build or expand their families; however, it has not been without controversy. Past research has sought to understand the initial and long-term psychological adjustment and racial/ethnic identity development of international and transracial adoptees. Research shows that pre-adoption adversity may be linked to the development of behavior and emotional problems, and opponents assert that international adoption strips children of their culture. Emerging research has focused on cultural socialization practices and how international and transracial adoptive families acknowledge or reject ethnic and racial differences within the family. An area less understood is how international and transracial adoptees cope with racism, prejudice, racial discrimination, and stereotyping. This study explores, using qualitative methods, the ways in which international and transracial adoptees experience and cope with racism, prejudice, racial discrimination and/or stereotyping. The personal stories of ten adult Korean adoptees are highlighted with particular attention to how interactions with adoptive family members and peers influence adoptees’ identity development, how adoptees resolve conflicts in terms of “fitting in,” and how parental/familial influence mitigates the effects of racism and racial discrimination. The study concludes with a discussion on implications for social work practice. / Dissertation/Thesis / Masters Thesis Social Work 2015

Indigenous adoptee scholars across Turtle Island and beyond have done good work in coming to understand their identity through community connection, culture, education and practice. A plethora of research has guided young Indigenous interracial adoptees on their journey, yet there are few stories focused on the experiences of interracial Maya adoptees reconnecting to their culture in KKKanada. Currently there is limited research documenting Maya adoptees experiences of displacement and cultural reclamation in KKKanadian adoption studies. Research must make more space for these stories and the stories of local Indigenous communities supporting them. In this story (thesis), through engagement with current literature and ten research questions, I explored what it meant to live as an interracial adoptee in West Coast Indigenous communities. An Indigenous Youth Storywork methodology was applied to bring meaning to relationships I have with diverse Indigenous Old Ones, mentors and Knowledge Keepers and their influence on my journey as a Maya adoptee returning to my culture. My personal story was developed and analyzed using an Indigenous decolonial framework and Indigenous Arts-based methods. This storying journey sheds light on the intricate intersections of interracial adoption, specifically for Maya Indigenous Youth who currently live in KKKanada. The intention of this Youth Storywork research work is to create space for Indigenous, Interracial, Transracial and Maya adoptees in Child and Youth Care, Social Work and Counselling Psychology education, policy and practice. / Graduate / 2021-11-18

The aim of this thesis is to try to understand the experiences of Swedish-born adoptees during the process of searching for and meeting their biological family. The subjects have been recruited from the Organisation of Adult Adoptees and Foster Children (AFO) and some other sources. The group consists of 20 adult Swedish-born adoptees, ten women and ten men.   Data have been collected through questionnaires with both open-ended and closed questions regarding their childhood and through interviews with structured questions and follow-up questions concerning the search process. The elaboration of data bas followed the search process and highlighted common features, which have brought about certain themes. The analysis of the descriptions has been made according to some existential key concepts in order to deepen the understanding of the search process. Thus, some broadly human existential dilemmas have emerged.  The results indicate a heterogeneous group of subjects. One salient feature is that the search process has been activated in critical situations when lack of knowledge about identity and heredity has been experienced. Another distinct result is the need to get physical likeness confirmed when meeting biological relatives. Such an experience has met a deficiency. Yet another distinct result is the need of contact, no matter the quality, with biological relatives so as to experience closeness built on biological bonds. There has been a will to establish lasting relationships in order to experience identity and continuity. Furthermore, many have experienced during the search process that getting a biological family has added a new dimension to their lives and contributed to personal healing. The adoptees' search for their origin can be seen as a process where broadly human existential dilemmas are particularly prominent.

In this thesis I utilize sociological theories on deviance, published research on adoption, and surveys of 41 adoptees and 15 adoptive parents in order to address four primary questions: 1.What factors have influenced adoption historically, and continue to influence current practices? 2.In what ways does the legal system treat the adoptive family differently than the consanguine family? 3.Is there a stigma associated with adoption? 4.What factors are associated with adoptees' decision to search, or not to search, for their biological parents? Adoption practices have been heavily influenced by the supply of and demand for children, and the stigma associated with illegitimacy, unwed motherhood, and infertility. Despite the fact that adoption legislation in most states creates the adoptive family "as if" it were a biological family, numerous examples of the differential treatment of adoptive and biological families are explored. From inheritance legislation to health insurance coverage, adoptees and adoptive families are often treated differently vis a vis non-adoptees and biological families. The stigma associated with the varying triad members, birth parents, adoptive parents, and adoptees, is explored in the context of adoption as deviant. From the sometimes negative perception of adoptees and adoptive families, to the legally mandated differential treatment of these groups, a theory concerning the origin of adoption stigma and its perpetuation in society is offered. Interviews with adoptees support existing literature that suggests that significant life events,similarity of characteristics between the adoptee and his or her adoptive family, communication about adoption in the adoptive home, and the amount of information about the birth family are all factors that may motivate adoptees to seek out their biological relatives. Sociological deviance theories are used to examine the many issues addressed in this thesis. A central and recurring point is that the legal institution of adoption is not as legitimate a method of family formation as is biological parenthood. Furthermore the adoptee and the adoptive parents may be subject to being labeled as deviant for their role within the triad. / Master of Science

The aim of this study is to examine how Swedish social services work withspecifically international adopted children and their sense of belonging. We alsowant to examine how social services take the child's best interest into consideration regarding international adopted children. We chose a qualitative method with semi-structured interviews with four social workers within units for child and family support and four social workers within family law in different municipalities aroundSweden. We have studied the results using belonging as a theory and identity andethnical identity as theoretical concepts. The results show that social workersbelieve that internationally adopted children may have more difficulties to formbelonging to their family and surroundings. It also shows that the Swedishmunicipalities do not really offer specific support for adoptees. The informants havestated that they cannot guarantee the child's best interest in every situation, since itis constantly changing, individually defined and adapted to needs. We did find thatthe support that is provided for adoptees and their families is mainly preventivemeasures. This includes parental education before adoption to equip the parents withall the knowledge they may need to adhere to the child's best interest. Manyinformants also state that many of the adoptive children have special needs in formof cleft palate, mental health issues as well as cognitive delays. They also state thatmany of these children have been institutionalised in orphan care and that it cancause trauma to these children later in life, which also can be considered a specialneed. The result also shows that the social workers believe that therapy can beeffective for these children and that the municipalities state that they would buythese services if needed. The municipalities work to prevent these health issuesamong adoptees by strengthening the parents to get the same knowledge as thesocial services to be able deal with the children. The informants say that theadoptees and their families should be able to feel like a “ordinary” family withoutthe state watching them if not needed which causes a dilemma.

This study is about the group of transnational adoptees, which means adoptions that includes a transfer of children to families who racially and culturally different from them. The Swedish research regarding to this group of adoptees is relatively limited. Especially in relation to the phenomenon like race, whiteness and racism. There is a need for more knowledge about what it means to be Swedish and non-white, something that the group adoptees has experience of.                      The purpose of this study is to examine if, and in that case how, it is possible to discern a pattern of Swedishness boundaries using the adoptees experience, and to find out how notions of race interacts with these experiences. The study is based on a qualitative approach and the empirical material consists of interviews with four adoptees. To understand my empirical data I have chosen to work with several different theoretical perspectives to illustrate the phenomenon as can be seen as border guards of Swedishness concerning to the adoptees. These phenomenon’s are: race and whiteness, and racialization and (everyday) racism. I am also inspired by the American research field of critical race and whiteness studies, but from a Swedish context.                       The results show that the main limit for Swedishness goes at the adoptees non-white bodies. It is also by their non-white bodies as they get their belonging in Sweden questioned and can be considered as almost Swedes. It is also their non-Swedish appearance that allows them to be exposed to racialization and racism in everyday life. Thus, it is possible to argue, on the basis of the adoptees stories, that race as construction exists and that we must speak of it to be able to understand how it, as adopted (Swedish), is to live in a non-white body in Sweden today.

Vi har en uppfattning om att internationell adoption och internationellt adopterade ofta associeras med TV4:s tv-program Spårlöst. Det gör att programmet har stort inflytande över vilken bild av adoption och adopterade som sänds ut i media. Vi har därför valt att göra en kvalitativ textanalys som undersöker hur Spårlöst framställer internationell adoption och internationellt adopterade. Syftet med studien är att synliggöra och kritiskt granska framställningarna. Vi hoppas att studien ska bidra till ett mediesamhälle som inkluderar adoption och adopterade mer. Studien bygger på konstruktivism och dess inriktning socialkonstruktionism. Studiens analysmaterial är valt utifrån avsnitten som visades under säsongen hösten 2016 med hjälp av den dramaturgiska kurvan. Genom att använda oss av hermeneutiken kan vi tolka textens innehåll och urskilja framställningarna i programmet. Tolkningarna stöds även av barmhärtighetsprincipen. Studiens slutsatser är att internationell adoption främst framställs som en väg till bättre förutsättningar, men också som en vinstdrivande verksamhet och som osäkert. Ytterligare slutsatser är att adopterade ofta framställs som positiva till sin adoption. Adopterade framställs även som identitetssökande och nyfikna personer, men också som personer som värdesätter familjerelationer. / Our perception is that international adoption and international adoptees often are associated with the tv-program Spårlöst shown on TV4. This could mean that the program may have a great influence over the images of adoption and adoptees shown in media. Therefore, we have chosen to do a qualitative text analysis which examines how Spårlöst portrays international adoption and international adoptees. The purpose of the study is to highlight and critically view the portrayals. We hope our study will contribute to a more including media society concerning adoption and adoptees. The study is based on constructivism and its orientation on social constructionism. The study’s analytical material is chosen from the episodes that were shown in the fall season of 2016 by using the dramaturgical curve. We can interpret the content of the text and distinguish the portrayals in the program by using the hermeneutics. The interpretations are also supported by the principle of charity. The study’s conclusions are that international adoption mainly is portrayed as a way to better conditions, but also as a profit organization and as unsafe. Further conclusions are that adoptees often are portrayed as positive towards their adoption. The adoptees are also portrayed as identity seeking and curious people. The study also shows that adoptees value relationships within the family.

Denna uppsats handlar om adoption utifrån identitet och anknytning och fokuserar på hur föräldraskap påverkas av dessa faktorer. Syftet är att undersöka hur internationellt adopterade vuxna upplever sitt föräldraskap och hur detta påverkas i förhållande till identitetsutveckling och anknytning. Tidigare forskning har visat att det inte finns endast ett sätt att uppleva adoption på, utan erfarenheter skiljs åt från individ till individ. Det har visat sig finnas ett begränsat utbud av forskning av ämnet adoption och föräldraskap och där resultatet varierat. Uppsatsen utgår ifrån en kvalitativ metod, då denna anses som mest passande för att kunna ta del av intervjupersonernas egna erfarenheter och tankar kring föräldraskap som adopterade. Materialet är insamlat genom semistrukturerade intervjuer från sex individer som blivit adopterade till Sverige och materialet har sedan analyserats utifrån en tematisk analysmetod. Resultatet visar att adoption har påverkat adopterade individers föräldraskap på så sätt att utseendemässiga likheter och att ha samma blod är av stor betydelse, samt upplever större kontrollbehov och separationssvårigheter. Det framkommer även att adopterade inte kan tänka sig att adoptera själva, vilket förklaras med att det inte anses vara enligt barnets bästa. / This study explores adoption based on identity and attachment and focuses on how parenting is affected by these factors.  The purpose of this study is to investigate how transnational adopted adults experience their parenthood and how this is affected in relation to identity development and attachment. Previous research has shown that there is not only one way to experience adoption, but experiences are separated from individual to individual. There has been a limited range of research on adoption and parenting and where results have varied. The study is based on a qualitative method, as this is considered most suitable for being able to take it from the participants' own experiences and thoughts about parenthood as adopted. The material is collected through semi-structured interviews analyzed based on a thematic analysis method. The results show that adoption has affected the parenting of adopted individuals in such a way that similarities in appearance and having the same blood are of great importance, as well as experiencing a greater need for control and separation difficulties. It also appears that adoptees cannot imagine adopting themselves, which is explained by the fact that it is not considered to be in the best interests of the child.