PsychologyTransacial Adoption - Essay Example

These figures have grown substantially since those days and are likely to increase in the future. Evidently, such major sociological phenomenon could not but attract the attention of scholarly community. Research has covered the issues of ethnocentric bias, adjustment of adopted children, appearance discomfort, but largely focused on the problem of racial and cultural identity formation. The debate revolving around the question of whether White American parents should adopt children of different racial background was fueled by a position paper issued by the National Association of Black Social Workers (NABSW).

Simon and Alstein (1977) clearly expressed the negative attitude of the Association toward the problem of transracial adoption labeling the placement of African American children - the most widespread group of children waiting for adoption in the U.S. - with the Caucasian families as 'cultural genocide' (p. 202). The NABSW's attitude toward transracial adoption was brilliantly illustrated by the following statement: " Black children should be placed only with Black families for adoption. Black children belong, physically, psychologically and culturally in Black families in order they receive the total sense of themselves and develop a sound protection of their future The socialization process for every child begins at birth.

Included in the socialization process is the child's cultural heritage which is an important segment of the total process. This must begin at the earliest moment; otherwise [Black] children will not have the background and knowledge which is necessary to survive in a racist society. This is impossible if the child is placed with White parents in a White environment" (Simon & Alstein, 1977: 50) Although the NABSW position expressed three decades ago was made in a seriously different environment characterized by higher degree of interracial tensions some of the key arguments on which it relied did not become outdated.

Thus, several relatively recent studies have demonstrated that African American families are likely to have difficulties preparing their children to succeed in the U.S. society characterized by the residuals of racist attitudes toward representatives of the minorities. Racial messages from the authorities, lower expectations at school, and prejudiced attitude from the low-enforcement officers are often listed among the most essential factors of influence in this regard (Bradley, 1998; Robinson & Ginter, 1999; Tatum, 1997).

Presently, the views expressed by the scholars and child support organizations regarding the issue of transracial adoption gradually shift toward a more positive stance. Thus, the North American Council on Adoptable Children (NACAC) that includes more than 400 Canadian and American child advocacy organizations believes that racial background and ethnicity do play an essential role in socialization of a child: a family of the same racial or ethnic background is preferable for a child in terms of developing a set of effective strategies to cope with the racist attitudes still adopted by many American citizens.

However, the NACAC also believes that