The adjustment of transracially adopted children

Includes bibliographical references (pages 98-100)This is an exploratory, descriptive study of the adjustment of transracially adopted children. The population included twenty-four transracially adopted children and eighteen of their siblings. An analysis of the transracially adopted children's family portraits was made to determine the extent to which these children see themselves as integral members of their family units, are emotionally ???healthy???, and are aware of the racial characteristics which distinguish the members of each family. Siblings' drawings were analyzed to determine the extent to which they see the transracially adopted members of their family as integral members of the family unit, and to measure their awareness of the racial characteristics distinguishing the members of each family. A questionnaire was developed to provide additional information about the transracially adopted children and their families. The questionnaire explored the areas of the children???s awareness and understanding of physical differences among family members, problems encountered in the neighborhood and at school and how these were handled, and the extent to which parents are helping their transracially adopted children to identify with, and learn about, their minority heritage.\ud The data analysis showed that transracially adopted children see themselves as integral members of their families and that their siblings also perceive them as such. (See more in text