Topic: Impact of adoption on children, spouses or other family members of adopted persons
Author
Oh Myo Kim, Boston College, Counseling, Developmental, & Educational Psychology, Boston, United States
1 Boston College, Boston, United States
Co-author(s)
Bastiaan Seo Vin Flikweert, Yonsei University Graduate School of International Studies, Korean Studies, Seoul, South Korea (Presenting Author)
1 Yonsei University Graduate School of International Studies, Seoul, South Korea
2 NLKRG, Den Bosch, Netherlands
Xiang Zhou, Purdue University, Counseling Psychology, West Lafayette, United States
1 Purdue University, West Lafayette, United States
Richard Lee, Universty of Minnesota, Psychology, Minneapolis, United States
1 Universty of Minnesota, Minneapolis, United States
Background/significance
There are over 170,000 South Korean international adoptees, most of them adopted in the 1970s and 80s. These adoptees are now adults and have formed their own families, and previous research has explored how they have understood their adoption and identity. This study is the natural next step, as we currently have no data on the adult children of Korean adoptees.
Aim
We will explore the following questions: How were adult children of Korean adoptees socialised in regards to their ethnic and racial identity? How have adult children of Korean adoptees internalised their parent’s narrative around adoption? How did their parent’s adoption from South Korea impact their own upbringing and identity?
Project description or research methods
We will interview approximately ~35 adult children of Korean adoptees in the US and Europe exploring the socialisation experiences of adult children of Korean adoptees and the impact this has had on their own identity. Researchers will analyse the data using a grounded theory approach (Charmaz, 2014).
Results
We are currently about to start data collection within the next few weeks. We will present the following: (a) A brief overview of demographic information on adult children of Korean adoptees (b) Emerging themes around the socialisation of adoption narratives for adult children, as well as emerging themes around cultural socialisation (c) Implications for the adoptee community.
Discussion and implications
This study explores themes of racial and ethnic socialisation and identity, as well as the intergenerational transmission of adoption narratives. It emphasises the importance of understanding that adoption is not a one-time event and that it impacts future generations. These implications are helpful for the adoptee community, as well as practitioners who work with adoptee families.
