Causal modeling predicting psychological adjustment of Korean-born adolescent adoptees

자아개념 이론(self-concept theory)과 민족 정체성 이론(ethnic identity theory)에 의하면, 다른 나라로 입양된 아이들의 심리적인 적용이, 긍정적인 부모-자식 관계, 민족적 긍지 등의 요소들과 인과 관계를 갖는 것으로 나타난다, 이 연구는 선형적 측정과 구조적 방정식 모델들을 사용했는데, 241명의 한국 태생의 입양 청소년을 대상으로 하여, 민족적 배경에 대한 양부모의 지원, 긍정적인 부모-자식 관계, 집단적 자아 존중, 심리적 적응 등의 지표들간에 존재하는 인과 모델의 가능성을 시험해본 것이다. 연구결과는 자아개념 이론과 민족적 정체성 개발 이론에서 기대된 바와 일치하고 있다. 즉, 입양아의 민족적 정체성 개발을 지원하고 민족적 사회화 교제의 경험을 같이 나누는 부모에게 있어서는 부모-자식 관계가 보다 긍정적일수록 입양아의 심리적 적응 현상이 더 잘 예견되어진다. 사회복지 정책과 복지 실천에 관해 본 연구가 갖는 함의가 논의되었다.

Self-concept theory and ethnic identity theory imply causal relations among positive parent-child relationship, ethnic pride, and psychological adjustment of children who were intercountry adopted. This study used linear measurement and structural equation models to test the plausibility of the causal model dealing with the relations among indexes of parent’s support of ethnic background, positive parent-child relationship, collective self-esteem, and psychological adjustment in a sample of 241 Korean-born adolescent adoptees. Consistent with the expectations of the self-concept theory and the ethnic identity development theory, the findings show that a more positive parent-child relationship, in which the parents support their childrens ethnic identity development and share ethnic socialization experiences, predicts better psychological adjustment of the adopted children. Policy and practice implications of the findings are discussed. Rigorous application of upper-level statistical measurement and analyses is necessary to understand the complex interaction of cultural and familial structures in identity formation, particularly for children raised in either intercountry of transracial adoptive families. A great deal of confusion and disagreement has long surrounded the issue of adoption across ethnic and racial boundaries. Heretofore, the complexity of different cultural and familial structures has brought broad definitions of ethnic identity and, therefore, the absence of more precise measurement and insufficient data analysis on intercountry adoption. As a result of these gaps in measurement and analysis, results yielded have been inconclusive (Kirk, 1965; Kim, 1978; Feigelman & Silverman, 1983; Smith, 1991). This lack of clarity is particularly troubling in understanding the importance of parent-child relationship in the development of adoptees ethnic identity and collective self-esteem (i.e., ethnic pride). Given the importance of understanding self-image of youth in a culturally diverse world, the small microcosm of intercountry adoption affords the opportunity to carefully study interaction among culture, ethnicity, and parent-child relationship. The purpose of this study is to raise the level of measurement and analysis typically reported in adoption literature and statistically account for collective self-esteem and the interactive properties associated with its development. Specifically, the study reports the research process - the trajectory of inquiry - applied to the interaction of parents support of childrens ethnic background, parent-child relationship, and the childrens ethnic identity and collective self-esteem on psychological adjustment of Korean-born adopted children. Structural Equation Modeling(SEM) is demonstrated as extremely useful in explaining more complex relationships between aspects of the adoptees ethnic identity development process. As a result this study yields more conclusive findings than those of previous studies.