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International Adoption: Broadening How We Build Families Clinical Science Insights Clinical Science Insights: Knowledge Families Count On v.11 International Adoption: Broadening How We Build Families Clinical Science Insights Volume 11 Volume Knowledge Families Count On and the other that experienced “ethnic dissonance” milestones, and the journey must be undertaken (p. 82). The former group had pride in their ethnic with a great deal of patience and openness. heritage and explained their difference as “special,” Although all families face challenges, families while the latter group did not, and identified less formed through international adoption face with their Korean identity. Huh and Reid (2000) additional, complex challenges. Maintaining a lens concluded that the children in the latter group of openness, not only outwardly to the world as may have been stifled in their exploration of their the family expands its social networks and zones of International Adoption: ethnic heritage because their parents and families comfort, but also within the family (for example, did not promote this kind of exploration through if the adoptee chooses to search for birthparents) Broadening How We Build Families activities, groups, or dialogue. is critical to the family’s healthy development. Supporting the exploration of identity formation, research studies which identify factors associated Conclusion by Leah Bloom, MSMFT including how adoptees make meaning of with healthy family development. Families’ pathways towards international themselves in the world, is a process that the family adoption are lined with educational and emotional Stories about international adoption are should undertake together. Beginning the journey toward everywhere. From the media’s very public coverage international adoption of celebrities’ adoptions to the private experiences Once prospective parents decide to adopt of close friends and family members, international internationally, they must choose a country from Author Biography adoption is stretching our traditional notions of which to adopt. For many parents, this is a difficult Leah Bloom, MSMFT, is a what constitutes the contemporary “American choice – not only do countries differ in their postgraduate clinical fellow at family.” culture, history, and socioeconomic context, but The Family Institute. She In 2008, 17,438 children were adopted they also vary widely in terms of their adoption policies, regulations, age of children eligible for holds a Master’s degree in internationally by American parents, according to data from the U.S. Department of State. adoption, and parental requirements. International Marital and Family Therapy Guatemala led the way with the most number of law (the Hague Convention on Intercountry from The Family Institute at children adopted in 2008, followed in order by Adoption) also governs the legal process of Northwestern University. As a Korean adoptee herself, China, Russia, Ethiopia, Korea, Vietnam, Ukraine, adoption by protecting the rights of children, References she has a deep personal as well as a professional Kazakhstan, India, and Columbia (Adoptive adoptive parents, and birthparents; safeguarding A drop in international adoptions (2000, February). Adoptive Families, 42(1), 14. passion in supporting other adoptees through the Families, February 2009, p. 14). children against abduction, sale, or trafficking; Parents who choose to bring a child into their and ensuring that adoption is in the best interests Feigelman, W., & Silverman, A. R. (1984). The long-term effects of adoptive families program at The Family Institute. transracial adoption. Social Service Review, 58, 588 – 602. family through international adoption experience of child. Grotevant, H.D., & McRoy, R.G. (1998). Openness in Adoption: far-reaching impacts, because they must both As parents begin to educate themselves about Exploring Family Connections. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage negotiate the usual tasks of parenting while also the process of adoption, it is important they Publications, Inc. T H E I N S T I T U T E meeting the specific cultural and social challenges consider the specific cultural and homeland Huh, N. S., & Reid, W. J. (2000). Intercountry, transracial adoption F a m i l y and ethnic identity: A Korean example. International Social Work, AT NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY presented by adoption. This article will provide traditions the child will bring into their family. It 43, 75 – 87. Founded in 1968, The Family Institute at Northwestern a brief description of the process of international is extremely beneficial if family and friends are Scroggs, P. H., & Heitfield, H. (2001). International adopters and their University is the premier organization dedicated to couple and adoption, and will also summarize results of open, inquisitive, and supportive of this process children: Birth culture ties. Gender Issues, 19, 3 – 30. family therapy, community outreach, education and research. as well. Friends and family can show their support Vonk, M. E. (2001). Cultural competence for transracial adoptive The Family Institute is a center for direct care, academic T H E F a m i l y I N S T I T U T E by asking questions in a curious way, listening parents. Social Work, 46(3), 246 – 255. learning and new discovery. Yoon, D. P. (2004). Intercountry adoption: The importance of ethnic AT NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY openly, doing independent research, and For more information on The Family Institute, visit socialization and subjective well-being for Korean-born adopted encouraging the prospective parents to share their www.family-institute.org or call 847-733-4300. Our mission is to strengthen and heal families children. Journal of Ethnic and Cultural Diversity in Social Work, thoughts and feelings. 13(2), 71 – 89. from all walks of life through clinical service, community outreach, education and research. All Rights Reserved, ©2009 FSC Recycled Clinical Science Insights: Knowledge Families Count On v.11 International Adoption: T H E F a m i l y I N S T I T U T E AT NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY Broadening How We Build Families Placement: Traveling to the child’s homeland questions are inappropriate (“Is she really your parents and adoptive parents – mainly due to Many countries currently require parents to daughter?”), intrusive (“Do you know anything the homeland’s strong cultural stigmas against travel to the country to complete the adoption. about his ‘real’ parents?”), or simply misguided sharing information or because of the logistical Some countries require multiple visits, thereby (“Couldn’t you have children of your own?”). challenges of geography – the adoption can still be giving parents time to bond with their child and To deal with these insensitive questions, it is conceptualized as fluid along the continuum. Later also explore their child’s homeland. In most cases, important that the family have strong, solid in life, the adoptee may choose to reach out to the “placement,” or moment the child is placed networks of support, and that parents model their homeland to search for their birthfamily, or with the family, occurs on one such trip. healthy ways of responding (“She is my ‘real child,’ may incorporate or accentuate their ethnic identity As parents visit their child’s homeland, it is and I’m as proud of her as I could be!”). as they mature. useful if they begin collecting local art, crafts, and mementoes to bring home. This helps expand the International adoption and ‘openness’ Research findings regarding healthy family development family’s multicultural identity, and also helps the Throughout centuries, families have been Research suggests that creating a supportive child foster an identity as an international (and cultivated through avenues other than birth: for and open environment in which the adoptee can perhaps interracial) adoptee. Because children example, kinship ties, communal environments, explore how his or her ethnic and environmental adopted internationally are often a complex or creating opportunity for an underresourced contexts intersect, is associated with healthy mixture of various identities, it is important that child. However, as adoption became formally identity formation. In other words, the family they feel free to explore the various facets of their legalized in the United States in the early 1850s, it should foster an atmosphere of pride for the identity. Allowing children to demonstrate pride was conducted under a veil of secrecy – adoptive multifaceted identity of the adoptee. A study by in their ethnic heritage by displaying artifacts families were not given information about the Yoon (2004) concluded that Korean adoptees who around the home is just one way to support this child’s birthparents, and vice versa. This secrecy, reported more self-identification with their Korean exploration. called “closed” adoption, was believed to benefit heritage had higher levels of self-esteem. Feigleman Collecting items with personal meaning to the the child and enable him or her to make a full and Silverman (1984) found that pride in ethnic child and family is another way to commemorate psychological and physical commitment to their heritage correlated with higher levels of socio- the child’s special heritage. Many families choose adoptive family. In other words, it was intended to emotional adjustment in international adoptees. to create a book, photo album, or memory box decrease confusion for the adoptee. Finally, studies show that arming adoptees with of their journey. Items such as a baby formula However, subsequent research has strongly information about their heritage
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