The quiet migration of adopted adolescents in Italy: Ethnic identity, reflected minority categorization, and ethnic discrimination

Abstract

Internationally adopted adolescents face the crucial developmental task of shaping their ethnic identity by balancing their dual belongingness to the current cultural background and the birth country’s ethnic background. This process does not depend exclusively on individual variables, but it is embedded within the social context. The present study was aimed at exploring the role of ethnic discrimination in moderating the association between reflected minority categorization, on the one hand, and ethnic identity, on the other. A self-report questionnaire was administrated to 180 internationally adopted adolescents. Results showed that at high levels of ethnic discrimination the relation between reflected minority categorization and ethnic identity in terms of commitment was negative and stronger. When considering instead ethnic identity in terms of exploration, it is possible to note that higher levels of reflected minority categorization were associated with higher levels of exploration. Findings are discussed in light of post-adoption intervention for adoptees.

Keywords:

• Ethnic discrimination
• ethnic identity
• internationally adopted adolescents
• reflected minority categorization

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank the adoption agencies and the professionals who collaborated with this research project and all the families who took part to the research.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data accessibility statement

The datasets for this manuscript are not publicly available because of local legal and privacy restrictions (Italian Data Protection Code – Legislative Decree No. 196/2003). However, the raw data supporting the conclusions of this manuscript can be made available by the first author to qualified researchers upon request.