n to search for birth parents accounted more for quality of identity formation than did adoptive status (Simon, 27-28). Transracial adoptees seem to obtain their identity as well as birth children of families. Wondering about oneself and one’s identity, trying to determine who one is and will become, is a natural part of the transition from child to teenager to adult. “Adolescence is a difficult time for all children, adopted or not (Cox, 1). Add in the complication of not resembling your parents, other members of the family, and having only memories of their cultural familiarity, makes it that much harder to find out “who you are” and “where you belong” (Cox, 1). The research does show that the more an adoptee knows about their birth family, the circumstances surrounding their adoption, the easier it will be for him to form an identity during adolescence. It allows the adoptee to construct a view of what their birth family is like, and it also allows a chance to relieve some of the internal pain, which is caused by closed adoptions. Most of the research supported the notion that adoptees can have identity formation problems, but also with support can find ways to build their own identity. This is why it is so important for the children to properly attach A VIIto their adoptive parents and get extra help through their development stages. There have been no significant differences between adoptees and birth children, unless the adopted child was older and already had problems before entering the adoptive familiy. People should not shy away from adopting transracial children, but go into the adoption with all the facts and with their eyes wide open.Works CitedAdamec, Christine. Is Adoption For You?. New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1998.Baran, A., Pannor, R., & Sorosky, A. ...
