A path analysis of a cultural and racial socialization model in international transracial adoption: Racial awareness, self-efficacy, and socialization practices

The purpose of this study was to test a conceptual model using path analysis to examine direct and indirect relationships among factors contributing to transracial adoptive parents' cultural and racial socialization practices. Participants, responding to an online survey, were White mothers and fathers of children born in China and other Asian and non-Asian countries, and were associated with Families with Children from China, a support group. Included in a path analysis were 310 cases. As hypothesized, post-adoption education and support, racial awareness, and socialization self-efficacy were found to be important factors that positively influenced socialization practices. Researchers may be interested in further examination of the cultural and racial socialization model to address the parenting needs of international transracial adoptive parents, and ultimately to support the healthy ethnic and racial identity formation of transracial adoptees.