The Role of Cross-cultural Experiences and Ethnic Identity in Transracial Adoptees' Self-esteem

Simple item page
dc.contributor.advisorLeslie, Leigh Aen_US
dc.contributor.authorStephenson, Jocylynn Briannen_US
dc.contributor.departmentFamily Studiesen_US
dc.contributor.publisherDigital Repository at the University of Marylanden_US
dc.contributor.publisherUniversity of Maryland (College Park, Md.)en_US
dc.date.accessioned2015-06-27T05:34:54Z
dc.date.available2015-06-27T05:34:54Z
dc.date.issued2015en_US
dc.description.abstractResearch into mental health outcomes of minority transracial adoptees has been fueled by debate over white parents' ability to prepare minority children for experiences of individual and institutional racism. However, studies show transracial adoptees do not differ from others in self-esteem, one criterion used to gauge mental health. Among minorities, ethnic identity is correlated with self-esteem, but studies show that transracially adopted adolescents often face ambiguous ethnic identity. Cross-cultural experiences have proven to increase ethnic identity in minorities, but little research has been done on their effect among transracial adoptees. The current study explored whether cross-cultural experiences bolster self-esteem in minority transracial adoptees through mediation of adoptees' ethnic identity. One-hundred-three transracially adopted minority adolescents completed online self-report surveys. Results indicated a significant negative link between cross-cultural experiences and ethnic identity and a moderately significant negative link between cross-cultural experiences and self-esteem in this population. Findings and possible explanations are discussed.en_US
dc.identifierhttps://doi.org/10.13016/M2N33Q
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/1903/16715
dc.language.isoenen_US
dc.subject.pqcontrolledIndividual & family studiesen_US
dc.subject.pquncontrolledAdolescentsen_US
dc.subject.pquncontrolledAdoptionen_US
dc.subject.pquncontrolledEthnic Identityen_US
dc.subject.pquncontrolledFamiliesen_US
dc.subject.pquncontrolledMinoritiesen_US
dc.subject.pquncontrolledSelf-esteemen_US
dc.titleThe Role of Cross-cultural Experiences and Ethnic Identity in Transracial Adoptees' Self-esteemen_US
dc.typeThesisen_US

Files

Original bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Thumbnail Image
Name:
Stephenson_umd_0117N_16239.pdf
Size:
251.7 KB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Download

Collections

UMD Theses and Dissertations
Family Science Theses and Dissertations