A Practice Model to Protect the Ethnic Identity of International Adoptees

Abstract

ABSTRACTChildren who are adopted internationally are at risk for losing their ethnic heritage, and social workers in the field have a vital role to play in minimizing this risk. By applying social identity theory to the case of international adoptees' ethnic identity formation, it follows that a positive ethnic identity is best facilitated by exposure to information and experiences that communicate the inherent value of the child's ethnic group. Research indicates that adoptive parents are able to contribute to the internationally adopted child's cultural socialization. However, the research on the prevalence of such practice by parents is mixed, and it appears that some agencies do a better job than others of encouraging this parental practice. The article offers a theoretically based practice model for producing culturally astute parents who possess the skills, motivation, and resources to facilitate the development of the ethnic identity of their internationally adopted children.