Parental Understanding of Cultural Difference: A Study of Transracially Adopting Couples

Abstract

White parents who adopt transracially raise their children within a context of racial disparity, a history of generational inequity, racial bias, and discrimination. The purpose of this research study was to learn more about the experiences of white parents of transracial children, who had adopted within the United States. The research questions focused on how the parents understood and dealt with parenting a child of another race. This mixed-methods study identified five key themes that these white parents experienced as significant in raising children of color. The themes include motivation for transracial adoption; parental racial identity development; coexisting issues of race, trauma, and mental health; recognition and the impact of parent’s white privilege; and seeking and not seeking exposure to diversity for the entire family.