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Domestic Transracial Adoption: in the Words of African American Adoptees Ellen M

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Domestic Transracial Adoption: in the Words of African American Adoptees Ellen M The University of Maine DigitalCommons@UMaine Electronic Theses and Dissertations Fogler Library 5-2013 Domestic Transracial Adoption: In the Words of African American Adoptees Ellen M. Smith Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/etd Part of the Family, Life Course, and Society Commons, and the Race and Ethnicity Commons Recommended Citation Smith, Ellen M., "Domestic Transracial Adoption: In the Words of African American Adoptees" (2013). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 1960. http://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/etd/1960 This Open-Access Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by DigitalCommons@UMaine. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@UMaine. DOMESTIC TRANSRACIAL ADOPTION: IN THE WORDS OF AFRICAN AMERICAN ADOPTEES By Ellen M. Smith B.A. University of Maine at Farmington, 2002 M.Ed. University of Maine, 2005 A DISSERTATION Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements of the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy (in Education) The Graduate School The University of Maine May 2013 Advisory Committee: Sandra Caron, Professor of Family Relations, Advisor Dorothy Breen, Associate Professor of Counselor Education Mary Madden, Associate Research Professor Annette Nelligan, Lecturer, in Counselor Education Marguerite A. Wright, Senior Clinical & Research Psychologist, Center for the Vulnerable Child, Children’s Hospital & Research Center, Oakland, CA ii DISSERTATION ACCEPTANCE STATEMENT On behalf of the Graduate Committee for Ellen M. Smith I affirm that this manuscript is the final and accepted dissertation. Signatures of all committee members are on file with the Graduate School at the University of Maine, 42 Strodder Hall, Orono, ME. April 17, 2013 Dr. Sandra Caron, Professor of Family Relations Date iii Copyright 2013 Ellen M. Smith iv ACKNOWLEDGMENTS There are so many who have contributed to my success in completing my doctoral program. I must start with my sincere appreciation to the participants of this study. I am humbled by their willingness to give generously of their time to tell their stories growing up in New England with different race parents. I will be forever grateful for their participation. I am thankful for the support and encouragement that my committee members provided from the beginning to the end of my dissertation. My heartfelt appreciation to Dr. Sandra Caron who graciously assumed the role of advisor during the critical stages of data analysis. I will be forever grateful for Dr. Caron's encouragement, expertise, and generous availability even on weekends to help in the completion of this study. From the beginning of my doctoral studies, Dr. Dorothy Breen's continued guidance, support, and encouragement will always be valued and cherished. Dr. Mary Madden's support and expertise throughout the design and analysis of this study are especially appreciated. I am grateful to Dr. Annette Nelligan for her support from the beginning for this study. Lastly, I am humbled by Dr. Marguerite Wright who agreed to be a reader of this study and shared her expertise in transracial adoption. I was so fortunate to have shared this educational experience with many other talented scholars. My fellow scholar Toni Moleon shared her home for many "dissertation" pot luck dinners, but more importantly the continued friendship that will go beyond this educational experience. As I embarked on this journey of doctoral studies I v met Sherrie Winton and she quickly become a valued friend. Throughout the program we shared many dark days, but were able to share in the light of defending our dissertations on the same day as we move forward in our careers. Without the strong unyielding support of my husband, Steve, this would not have been possible. His steadfast encouragement kept me moving forward to overcome many obstacles. I am thankful to my children, Christopher and Kayla, for their approval, feedback, and encouragement of this study since this is also their lived experience. I am grateful to my lifelong friend Michele Prince who provided much support throughout this process with her many phone calls and cards of encouragement. I am also appreciative of my friend Martha Proulx for her continued support to complete this program. vi TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS..................................................................................................iv LIST OF TABLES..............................................................................................................xi LIST OF FIGURES...........................................................................................................xii CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION........................................................................................1 The Problem.............................................................................................................2 Purpose Statement & Research Questions...............................................................3 Research Approach..................................................................................................4 Research Assumptions.............................................................................................5 Rationale and Significance......................................................................................6 Definitions of Terminology.....................................................................................7 CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW.............................................................................9 Introduction..............................................................................................................9 Statistics...................................................................................................................9 History of Adoption...............................................................................................10 Federal Legislative Actions Impacting Adoption Practices...................................15 Impact of Being an Adopted Person......................................................................16 Impact of Being a Transracially Adopted Person..................................................20 Socialization and Racial/Ethnic Identity Development.........................................31 Open to Closed Adoptions Continuum..................................................................42 School Experiences and African American Adoptees...........................................43 Summary................................................................................................................44 vii CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY.....................................................................................48 Introduction............................................................................................................48 Rationale for Qualitative Research Design............................................................49 Rationale for Phenomenological Methodology.....................................................52 Self as Researcher..................................................................................................54 The Research Sample.............................................................................................55 Information Needed to Conduct Study..................................................................55 Design of Study......................................................................................................56 Analysis and Synthesis of Data..............................................................................58 Ethical Considerations...........................................................................................59 Issues of Trustworthiness.......................................................................................59 Limitations.............................................................................................................60 Summary................................................................................................................60 CHAPTER 4: RESEARCH FINDINGS............................................................................62 Participant Profiles.................................................................................................63 Participant Demographics..........................................................................63 Circumstances of Adoption and Pre-adoption Experiences.......................66 Family Experiences................................................................................................70 My Parents Really Wanted a Baby............................................................72 We're a Family No Matter What We Look Like.......................................74 Brother And Sister - Closer Than Most.....................................................78 My Extended Family Embraced Me..........................................................79 I Always Had My Church Family..............................................................82 viii My Parents Did Their Best to Educate Me................................................84 Someone That Kind of Looks the Same....................................................88 What My Parents Didn't Teach Me............................................................90 Family Experiences Summary...................................................................94 School Experiences................................................................................................95
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