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Internationally Adopted Children Report Greater Self-Esteem When Educated about Cultural Identity

By Jenny Jones

COLUMBIA, Mo. – According to Adoptive Families magazine, international adoption rates reached a record high of more than 20,000 children in 2002. As these numbers increase, so do concerns about how these children will cope with potential cultural identity confusion as they mature. A University of Missouri researcher studied Korean-born children adopted by American families, finding that adoptive parents might avoid this pitfall by educating children about their cultural heritage.

Dr. Dong Pil Yoon, an assistant professor of social work, conducted a nationwide study targeting adopted Korean teenagers, ages 12 to 19. Korean-born children represent the third highest total of internationally adopted children in the United States. The survey included 241 adoptees from 28 states in the U.S. and measured five variables: parents’ support of the child’s ethnic background, parent-child relationship, degree of ethnic pride, positive well-being and distress. Yoon developed a theoretical model that shows how all five aspects work together to form the child’s well-being.

“Previous research studied ethnic pride and psychological adjustment separately,” Yoon said. “I felt it was necessary to create a model that demonstrates how the two are intertwined.”

Yoon concluded that adopted children who were socialized as Korean-Americans were more likely to report high levels of collective self-esteem as compared with adoptees who received no cultural reinforcements. Yoon, a Korean national himself, offers classes for adoptive parents to help them educate Korean-born children about their national heritage.

“Adoptive parents need to understand that enhancing collective self-esteem in their child will facilitate psychological adjustment,” Yoon said. “Sharing experiences of children’s ethnic adjustments is an important factor contributing to the unique process of identity development.”

Yoon’s full study will appear in the Journal of Ethnic and Cultural Diversity in Social Work this summer.

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