Adoption and Identity Experiences Among Adult Transnational Adoptees: A Qualitative Study

Abstract

To establish more comprehensive ways to assess transnational adoption adjustment, we need to better understand the adoptive identity experiences of transnational adoptees. We explored adoption identity by describing sociopsychosocial aspects and self experiences related to transnational adoption adjustment in a purposive sample of 16 adult Korean-American adoptees. A qualitative, descriptive analysis resulted in three themes: biological parents, birthdays, and adoption history, with three subthemes of adoptive family, pride, and difficulties. The study is a first to qualitatively examine adoption identity and the themes may be used to develop a survey of adoption identity for adult transnational adoptees.