Racial Discrimination and Mental Health for Transracially Adopted Adults: The Roles of Racial Identity and Racial Socialization

In response to the growing trend for White parents to adopt children from different racial and cultural backgrounds, and heeding the call for more research on adoption-related issues, the present study examined the relationship between racial discrimination and the mental health for transracially adopted adults adopted by White parents. The study found partial support for a moderated mediation model that included racial identity and racial socialization as mediating and moderating variables, respectively, in the discrimination-mental health link. Specifically, the magnitude and significance of some direct paths and the indirect effect between discrimination and well-being through racial identity were found to differ depending on the adopted adults' level of racial socialization in their homes growing up. Limitations and implications for research and practice are discussed.