Concurrent Sessions 4 - (NBCC CE Credit: #1 hr and Conference Attendance Credit: #1 hr)

208-01: "I'm Caught in Between Two Cultures": Adult Former "Parachute Kids'" Ethnic Identity Exploration
Kristy Shih, Courtney Lucca, Anna Bullock

Summary
This paper qualitatively explores ethnic identity development of 20 former "parachute kids" from Taiwan. Emerging findings suggest there are heterogeneity of ethnic identities among this population. Many identified themselves as Taiwanese, 1.5 generations, mixed, or "half and half". Many described possessing dual identities that encompass their Taiwanese background and American culture and values. They also shared experiences of being caught in between two cultures: They are not being treated as an "American" when they are in the U.S., but they also feel like an outsider (or visitor) when visiting Taiwan. This further contributes to identity confusion for some respondents. In addition, there are various factors that influence how "parachute kids" racially/ethnically identify themselves, including ongoing connection with their culture of origin, experiencing racism, confusion, ambivalence, and barriers.

Objectives
-- To explore ethnic identity development of former "parachute kids".
-- To enhance our theoretical and practical understandings of transnational families.
-- To analyze the experience of "parachute kids" who traverse national boundaries.

Subject Codes: ethnicity, identity, immigration
Population Codes: Asian/Pacific Islander, inclusive of adults, transnational
Method and Approach Codes: grounded theory, qualitative methodology

208-02: "I Lost My Family": Grief, Loss, and Identity Formation for Fostered and Adopted American Indian Individuals and their Families
Jessica Simpson, Ashley Landers, Sandy White Hawk

Summary
This study enhances the understanding of American Indian (AI) adults who were separated from their families of origin during childhood by foster care and/or adoption. While studies of reunification and health outcomes exist, less is known about grief, loss, and the impact on identity. Data from the Experiences of Adopted and Fostered Individuals Project (n = 129) were analyzed using thematic analysis to inductively identify themes. Thematic analysis revealed three key themes: (1) loss; (2) grief experiences; (3) outcomes; (4) identity. AI adopted and fostered individuals experience profound grief and loss which are directly connected to identity and may lead to mental health and relationship challenges. This study also provides support for the construct of blood memory, previously only discussed anecdotally or theoretically.

Objectives
-- To apply Identity Theory to understand the experiences of grief, loss, and identity formation experienced by American Indian adopted and fostered individuals.
-- To examine the connections between grief and loss and identity formation for individuals who were separated from their families and tribes during childhood by adoption and/or foster care
-- To demonstrate the mental health and relationship challenges individuals and families may experience as a result of family separation.

Subject Codes: ethnicity, adoption, foster care
Population Codes: American Indian/Alaskan Native/First Nations
Method and Approach Codes: thematic analysis

208-03: Ghanaian Family Identity Among Extra-Extended African American Relatives Discovered Using Autosomal Genetic Genealogy: A Thematic Analysis
LaKisha David, Gabriel Kugoriamo, Ambrea Young, Maya Brown, Rosianna Alexander, Priyamvada Dahiya, Millicent Puruseh

Summary
With the aid of autosomal genetic genealogy testing services, Ghanaian families that were separated during the Transatlantic Slave Trade are reuniting. This is a new context for the exploration of family identity. This study applies a contextual lens to the family identity framework to examine Ghanaian family identity meanings associated with using genetic genealogy to seek, identify, and engage with extra-extended African diaspora relatives. We use an inductive thematic analysis with a constructionist approach for data analysis. Participants are twenty-two residents of northern Ghana who are at least 18 years of age. Participants recognize diaspora relatives as family though there are some language barriers to family identity development. This emerging ancestral family form presents changes in family structure and sense of continuity.

Objectives
-- To examine Ghanaian meanings of family identity inclusive of their extra-extended African diaspora relatives
-- To identify specific expectations, obligations, or social norms expressed about their connection with African diaspora relatives
-- To identify potential areas of conflict in the development of family identity

Subject Codes: family processes, family relations, family functioning
Population Codes: African, transnational
Method and Approach Codes: thematic analysis, contextual

208-04: The Impact of Ethnic-Racial Socialization Experiences on Black Emerging Adults' Ethnic-Racial Attitudes
Denzel Jones

Summary
This study focuses on the social context and influences from diverse socialization agents on Black ethnic-racial attitude development. Using a sample of Black emerging adults (n = 171), results provide four common classes of ethnic-racial socialization message processes. In addition, results indicate experiencing different patterns of ethnic-racial socialization messages during adolescence and emerging adulthood is strongly associated with developing diverse ethnic-racial attitudes among Black emerging adults, which influences how they conceptualize and interact with their surrounding social environments. These results suggest the importance ofsocialization agents promoting positive, transparent ethnic-racial socialization experiences with Black emerging adults.Family life education implications are discussed.

Objectives
-- To analyze the socialization experiences of Black youth in a sociocultural context
-- To describe the influence of socialization experiences from diverse socialization sources on Black emerging adults' ethnic-racial attitudes
-- To outline available resources educators can utilize to aid Black individuals in healthy socialization processes and identity development

Subject Codes: developmental issues, identity, interpersonal relationships
Population Codes: emerging/young adulthood, African, Black or Brown
Method and Approach Codes: latent variable modeling, path analysis, structural equation modeling (SEM)

208-05: Using Network Autocorrelation Models to Understand the Association Between Family Ethnic Socialization and Adolescent Friendships
Stefanie Martinez-Fuentes, Adriana Umaña-Taylor, Elana McDermott, David Schaefer, Deborah Rivas-Drake, Allison Ryan

Summary
Friendship development is a critical task during adolescence, and members of friend groups tend to share similar characteristics.Furthermore, family ethnic socialization (FES) is associated with better psychosocial adjustment, but limited work has examined the interplay between this familial process and friendship networks. Thus, the current study examined whether adolescents reported similar FES levels to those of their peers, whether FES levels would be reflected in peer networks due to communicationorcomparison processes, andwhether effects were present over and above adolescents' ethnic-racial identity (ERI) exploration and resolution.Overall, findings indicate that adolescents in two regions experience similar levels of FES as their friends. However, there may be different processes at play in the manner in which FES is associated with friendship network processes.

Objectives
-- Considering the psycho-social benefits of family ethnic socialization, we examine the extent to which adolescents share similar characteristics of these familial processes as their friends.
-- By conducting a series of network auto-correlation models, we evaluated the mechanisms through which peers may influence adolescents' family ethnic socialization experiences.
-- We also analyzed whether friends' influence on adolescents' family ethnic socialization was generalizable across a Southwestern and Midwestern site.

Subject Codes: socialization, ethnicity, context
Population Codes: adolescence, diverse but not representative, U.S.
Method and Approach Codes: quantitative methodology

Facilitator: Lorena Aceves