"People say Things": Intercountry Adoptees Navigating Family Belongingness With Microaggressions

• In Event: Poster Session 14
  In Poster Session: PS 14 Topic - Race, Ethnicity, Culture, Context

Abstract

Introduction
Intercountry adoptees (ICAs), especially those part of transracial adoptive families, may often perceive that their respective ethnic, racial, and adoptive communities will not fully accept them as authentic members (Kim, Suyemoto & Turner, 2010). ICA’s feelings of exclusion may intensify when they experience microaggressions (MAs) – subtle messages, which intentionally or unintentionally communicate derogatory insults to a target person (Sue et al., 2007). This study examined French intercountry adopted (F-ICA) adolescents’ experiences of racial or adoption microaggressions (RMAs, AMAs) the relations with teen and parent reported feelings of belonging to their families (FBF).
Methods
Participants were recruited through French adoption organizations and clinics to participate in either web-based or in-person surveys. A 56-item survey addressed adoptees’ adoption backgrounds and experiences as F-ICAs post adoption. 463 adoptive parents and 114 teens completed the survey. We utilized the count of F-ICAs’ experiences of RMAs or AMAs (separately examined as predictors), and teen- and parent-reported FBF (2 separate outcomes). Exclusion of missing data resulted in the final sample comprising 89 F-ICA families with F-ICA teens adopted from 36 countries (mean age -13.87 years, SD=2.30, mean age at adoption – 3.29 years, SD =2.67) and including 45 boys (50.6%) and 43 girls (48.3%) (1 missing). Strong identity connections to birth country (BC-identity), comfort with adoption, continent of birth country, visibility of adoption, and communication difficulties with parents were included as moderators.
Findings and Implications
Table 1 presents the descriptive analyses of the number of RMAs/AMAs experienced by F-ICAs and teen- parent-reported FBF. Descriptive analyses of the moderator variables are provided in Table 2. T-tests revealed that F-ICAs experienced significantly more RMAs (M=3.06, SD=3.22) than AMAs (M=1.55, SD=1.91); t(88)=-6.308, p=.0001. To eliminate the impact of outliers (exceeding 3.0), z-scores were used.
We report here the significant findings of the relations between AMAs/RMAs experienced and teen-reported FBF; no predictors significantly related to parent-reported FBF. The final regression model representing the relations between RMAs and youth reports of FBF accurately predicted high teen-reports of FBF among 82.6% of the sample (X^2 = 24.820, p <.010). F-ICAs who experienced more RMAs had greater odds of having lower belongingness (OR = .369, 95% CI= .139, .979, p= .045). Only BC-identity significantly moderated this relation: youth experiencing more RMAs and those with stronger BC-identity had greater odds of having high belongingness (OR = 1.805, 95% CI= 1.153, 2.825, p=.01). For the model examining the relation between AMAs and teen reported FBF, final regression model accurately predicted high teen-reports of FBF among 81.2% of the sample ((2 = 15.370, p <.004). Only the main effects of two moderators were significant. F-ICAs who felt more comfortable being adopted had greater odds of having higher FBF (OR = 2.848, 95% CI= 1.312, 6.184) whereas those who had difficulty communicating with parents had lower odds of having higher FBF (OR = .245, 95% CI= .075, .803).
Implications of these results will be discussed in the context of France’s colorblind policy regarding race, along with suggestions for future research.

Authors

• Seungmi Lee, Tufts University
  Presenting Author

• Ellen E. Pinderhughes, Tufts University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Jessica Matthews, Tufts University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Marie Odile Perouse de Montclos, Hospitalier Ste. Anne
  Non-Presenting Author

• Laurie Miller, Tufts University
  Non-Presenting Author