Asian American Journal of Psychology, Vol 17(3), Sep 2026, 236-246; doi:10.1037/aap0000401
In the United States, Asian American transracial adoptees (TRAs) are individuals who are adopted from Asia by typically White parents. Although subject to oppressive experiences outside of the home, TRAs often experience their race being downplayed within the context of their family. This study examined (a) Asian American TRAs’ willingness to talk about race with their parents, (b) what conversations about race looked like during childhood and how conversations have changed during young adulthood, and (c) what TRAs wished their parents had done differently. Among a sample of 20 young adult Asian American TRAs, 12 participants were willing to talk to their parents about race, whereas the remaining eight were unwilling. Seven participants shared how their conversations about race changed as they grew up. Finally, participants discussed what they wished their parents had done when talking about race. These findings have implications for parents of TRAs, adoption professionals, racial socialization scholars, and adoptees themselves. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved)