A. Pre-adoption stage (1=Strongly Disagree; 2=Disagree; 3=Neutral; 4=Agree; 5=Strongly Agree)

1. What was your primary reason for choosing an international adoption process?	1 Strongly Disagree 2 Disagree 3 Neutral 4 Agree 5 Strongly Agree
a. I wanted to have a child from different culture.	1 2 3 4 5
b. It was easier and quicker to adopt a child from other countries than domestically.	1 2 3 4 5
c. I wanted to help those children from the countries where they were abandoned or neglected.	1 2 3 4 5
d. I wanted to adopt a child, no matter where the child was from.	1 2 3 4 5
e. International adoption was more affordable than domestic adoption.	1 2 3 4 5
f. Other (please explain):

 

2. Before the adoption, how much did you know about the country and culture from which you were going to adopt your child?	1 Strongly Disagree 2 Disagree 3 Neutral 4 Agree 5 Strongly Agree
a. I did research about the country and culture where my adopted child was from.	1 2 3 4 5
b. I talked to people who were from the country and culture where my adopted child was from.	1 2 3 4 5
c. I visited the country where my adopted child was from.	1 2 3 4 5
d. I worked or studied in the country where my adopted child was from.	1 2 3 4 5
e. I knew people who were from the country where my adopted child was born.	1 2 3 4 5
f. I participated in activities sponsored by people who share the cultural heritage of my adopted child.	1 2 3 4 5
g. I was always interested in the country and culture where my adopted child was from.	1 2 3 4 5
h. I knew nothing about the country and culture where my adopted child was from.	1 2 3 4 5
i. Other (please explain):

 

3. Your perceptions, before the adoption, about the difference between your child’s birth culture and your culture:	1 Strongly Disagree 2 Disagree 3 Neutral 4 Agree 5 Strongly Agree
a. I realized my child’s birth culture would be very different from my own and prepared to make efforts to honor both cultures..	1 2 3 4 5
b. I wasn’t aware of the cultural differences between my child’s birth culture and my culture.	1 2 3 4 5
c. I didn’t think the cultural differences would be important to raising my child.	1 2 3 4 5
d. I thought providing a loving home was more important than the cultural differences.	1 2 3 4 5
e. I planned to raise my child in American culture, not the birth culture, so cultural background was not important.	1 2 3 4 5
f. Other (please explain):

 

4. In addition to the paper work, how did you culturally prepare for the international/interracial adoption?	1 Never 2 Rarely 3 Sometimes 4 Often 5 Frequently
a. Seeking information about birth culture traditions	1 2 3 4 5
b. Learning the language of the birth country	1 2 3 4 5
c. Traveling to the birth country	1 2 3 4 5
d. Contacting people who were from the birth country	1 2 3 4 5
e. Using mass media to learn about the birth country and culture	1 2 3 4 5
f. I received training about the child's birth culture as part of the adoption process.	1 2 3 4 5
g. Other (please explain):

 

5. Did you know the following information about your child before the adoption was complete?
a. The location where my child was living	Yes No
b. The age he/she was	Yes No
c. Personality and health condition of my child	Yes No
d. His/her birth parents	Yes No
e. The reason of putting the child for adoption	Yes No
f. His/her experiences of adoption	Yes No
g. Other (please explain):

 

6. At what level has international/interracial adoption impacted your family life, especially, if your child's race is visibly different from the parents?	1 Strongly Disagree 2 Disagree 3 Neutral 4 Agree 5 Strongly Agree
a. My family needed adjustment to multicultural identity.	1 2 3 4 5
b. We had to deal with public’s reactions to our family’s multicultural identity.	1 2 3 4 5
c. We needed to understand our child’s birth culture and country.	1 2 3 4 5
d. We needed to learn our child’s birth culture.	1 2 3 4 5
e. We need to integrate our child’s birth culture into family culture.	1 2 3 4 5
f. My adopted child may have (or has had) difficulties with his/her identity formation.	1 2 3 4 5
g. The adoption has had no impact on my family life.	1 2 3 4 5
h. The adoption has enriched my family life.	1 2 3 4 5
i. Other (please explain):

 

7. My Child’s personality consists of following characteristics: (if you have two or more adopted children, please check the following items with one particular child in mind, and add information about additional child/children in the "Other" section)	1 Strongly Disagree 2 Disagree 3 Neutral 4 Agree 5 Strongly Agree
a. Shy	1 2 3 4 5
b. Withdrawn	1 2 3 4 5
c. Resourceful	1 2 3 4 5
d. Interpersonally successful	1 2 3 4 5
e. Cheerful	1 2 3 4 5
f. Out-going	1 2 3 4 5
g. Difficult to deal with	1 2 3 4 5
h. Impulsive	1 2 3 4 5
i. Risky	1 2 3 4 5
j. Having bad temper when my child doesn't get what she/he wants	1 2 3 4 5
k. Delinquent behavior or tendency	1 2 3 4 5
l. Other (please explain)/Please add information about your additional child/children:

B. Adoption (1=Strongly Disagree; 2=Disagree; 3=Neutral; 4=Agree; 5=Strongly Agree)

1. How do you bring up your child if her/his birth culture is different from yours?	1 Strongly Disagree 2 Disagree 3 Neutral 4 Agree 5 Strongly Agree
a. I am trying or have tried to learn about my child’s birth culture and country.	1 2 3 4 5
b. We use social media to contact other people with multicultural families.	1 2 3 4 5
c. I integrated my child’s culture into our family life when he/she was young.	1 2 3 4 5
d. I have tried my best to learn my child’s birth language.	1 2 3 4 5
e. I try my best to help my child be connected to his/her birth culture.	1 2 3 4 5
f. My child has been raised as a typical American child without any connection to his/her birth culture.	1 2 3 4 5
g. We celebrate the adoption day of my child.	1 2 3 4 5
h. We are able to deal with societal prejudice toward my child.	1 2 3 4 5
i. I encourage my child to take a positive attitude toward his/her birth culture and country.	1 2 3 4 5
j. We have friends from my child's birth culture who have no adoption connection.	1 2 3 4 5
k. Other (please explain):

 

2. How have you integrated your child’s birth culture into your family life, or help your child learn his/her birth culture?	1 Never 2 Rarely 3 Sometimes 4 Often 5 Frequently
a. We cook food typically related to my child’s birth culture.	1 2 3 4 5
b. We go to restaurants that feature my child’s birth culture.	1 2 3 4 5
c. We celebrate holidays of my child’s birth culture.	1 2 3 4 5
d. We participate in cultural activities of the ethnic group that shares my child’s birth culture.	1 2 3 4 5
e. We have revisited my child’s birth country since our adoption trip.	1 2 3 4 5
f. I sent my child to summer camps of his/her birth culture.	1 2 3 4 5
g. I sent my child to language schools of his/her birth culture.	1 2 3 4 5
h. I talk with my child about his/her birth culture and country.	1 2 3 4 5
i. We have made friends with children adopted from my child’s birth country.	1 2 3 4 5
j. We use mass media to learn about my child’s birth country.	1 2 3 4 5
k. Other (please explain):

3. At what age did your child start asking questions about his/her birth parents, if at all?
Please explain this incident and give some examples:

 

4. Which of the following have you or your child experienced, related to their cultural identity?	1 Never 2 Rarely 3 Sometimes 4 Often 5 Frequently
a. Criticisms of my child’s physical appearance	1 2 3 4 5
b. Criticisms of my child’s culture/country	1 2 3 4 5
c. Asking inappropriate questions about my child’s birth culture	1 2 3 4 5
d. Looking at my child with strange faces	1 2 3 4 5
e. Name-calling that hurt my child	1 2 3 4 5
f. Laughing loudly at my child	1 2 3 4 5
g. Other (please explain):

 

5. What are your child’s typical responses/reactions to situations in #4 above?	1 Strongly Disagree 2 Disagree 3 Neutral 4 Agree 5 Strongly Agree
a. Sad	1 2 3 4 5
b. Angry	1 2 3 4 5
c. Depressed	1 2 3 4 5
d. Stressful.	1 2 3 4 5
e. Fear	1 2 3 4 5
f. Doesn’t care	1 2 3 4 5
g. Ignore	1 2 3 4 5
h. Alinated	1 2 3 4 5
i. Confused	1 2 3 4 5
j. Other (please explain):

 

6. What has been your typical attitude toward any public’s negative reactions to your family and the relationship between your child and you?	1 Strongly Disagree 2 Disagree 3 Neutral 4 Agree 5 Strongly Agree
a. I have paid special attention to my child’s questions about her birth experiences.	1 2 3 4 5
b. I have paid special attention to my child’s reactions to public’s comments.	1 2 3 4 5
c. I have explained the adoption issue to my child.	1 2 3 4 5
d. I have told my child that adopting him/her was the best thing in our lives.	1 2 3 4 5
e. I have told my child that those comments showed ignorance of those people.	1 2 3 4 5
f. I have explained that my child’s birth parents had difficulties keeping her/him.	1 2 3 4 5
g. I have ensured my child that my child’s birth parents loved her/him very much.	1 2 3 4 5
h. I have encouraged my child to search for his/her birth parents.	1 2 3 4 5
i. I have assisted my child in contacting his/her birth parents.	1 2 3 4 5
j. I tell my child how much we love her/him.	1 2 3 4 5
k. My child trust me.	1 2 3 4 5
l. Other (please explain):

 

7. Has your child tried to look for his/her birth parents?

a. Yes No

b. If he/she has tried, when did he/she start? Please explain:

 

8. What is your child’s attitude toward his/her birth country and culture?	1 Strongly Disagree 2 Disagree 3 Neutral 4 Agree 5 Strongly Agree
a. Eager to learn	1 2 3 4 5
b. Dislike	1 2 3 4 5
c. Doesn’t care	1 2 3 4 5
d. Discriminates against	1 2 3 4 5
e. Feels connected to	1 2 3 4 5
f. Proud of	1 2 3 4 5
g. Confused	1 2 3 4 5
h. Other (please explain):

 

9. What is your child’s attitude toward the ethnic group that shares the birth culture with him/her?	1 Strongly Disagree 2 Disagree 3 Neutral 4 Agree 5 Strongly Agree
a. Shows interest in the ethnic group.	1 2 3 4 5
b. Doesn’t feel s/he shares any common interest with the ethnic group.	1 2 3 4 5
c. Dislikes the ethnic group.	1 2 3 4 5
d. Discriminates against the ethnic group.	1 2 3 4 5
e. Feels part of the ethnic group.	1 2 3 4 5
f. Makes friends with individuals from the ethnic group.	1 2 3 4 5
g. Pays attention to what’s going on in the ethnic group.	1 2 3 4 5
h. Participates in activities sponsored by the ethnic group.	1 2 3 4 5
i. Other (please explain):

C. Cross-Cultural Adaptation (1=Strongly Disagree; 2=Disagree; 3=Neutral; 4=Agree; 5=Strongly Agree)

1. What are your child’s current perceptions about the adoption?	1 Strongly Disagree 2 Disagree 3 Neutral 4 Agree 5 Strongly Agree
a. Feels comfortable with the fact that s/he was adopted	1 2 3 4 5
b. Understands the adoption process	1 2 3 4 5
c. Communicates well with people who comment on adoption and racial matters	1 2 3 4 5
d. Contacts people who share the birth culture with her/him	1 2 3 4 5
e. Connects with other adoptees	1 2 3 4 5
f. Connects with birth parents	1 2 3 4 5
g. Seeking birth parents	1 2 3 4 5
h. Loving you more now than before after knowing s/he was adopted	1 2 3 4 5
i. Blames birth parents	1 2 3 4 5
j. Feels sad about the fact that s/he was abandoned by birth parents	1 2 3 4 5
k. Needs psychological therapy	1 2 3 4 5
l. Other (please explain):

 

2. How does your child feel about your cultural heritage and his/her birth cultural heritage?	1 Strongly Disagree 2 Disagree 3 Neutral 4 Agree 5 Strongly Agree
a. Feels entirely socialized in your cultural heritage	1 2 3 4 5
b. Seeks to know more about the impact of her/his birth cultural heritage on her/him	1 2 3 4 5
c. Possesses both cultural heritages (yours and birth culture)	1 2 3 4 5
d. Doesn’t care	1 2 3 4 5
e. Feels that she/he doesn't belong either to your cultural heritage nor her/his birth cultural heritage	1 2 3 4 5
f. Looks for advice/guidance about her/his cultural identity	1 2 3 4 5
g. Other (please explain):

3. Does your child have negative feelings/attitudes toward his/her birth culture/country because of the societal racial/ethnic prejudice against his/her birth culture/country?

Check One Never Rarely Sometimes Often Frequently

b. Please explain:

4. Has societal racial/ethnic prejudice against her/his birth culture/country had any impact on her/his self-esteem?

Check One Never Rarely Sometimes Often Frequently

b. Please explain:

 

5. How have you dealt with any self-esteem issues related to adoption with your child?	1 Strongly Disagree 2 Disagree 3 Neutral 4 Agree 5 Strongly Agree
a. I have enhanced communication between my child and me.	1 2 3 4 5
b. I have encouraged my child to be her/himself by ignoring others’ comments.	1 2 3 4 5
c. I have encouraged my child to accept the reality and move on to a positive life.	1 2 3 4 5
d. I encouraged my child to learn about her/his birth culture.	1 2 3 4 5
e. I have helped my child take the advantage of her/his bi-cultural background.	1 2 3 4 5
f. I have not done anything at this time.	1 2 3 4 5
g. I have sought professional help for my child.	1 2 3 4 5
h. Other (please explain):

6. Is your child really concerned about his/her cultural identity issue?

Check One Never Rarely Sometimes Often Frequently

b. Please explain:

7. How does your child describe his/her cultural identity?

a. American	Check One Strongly Disagree Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly Agree
b. Ethnic-American (please name it)
c. Affiliation with an ethnic group (please name it) .
d. Her/his birth culture identity (please name it)
e. Undecided	Check One Strongly Disagree Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly Agree
f. Situated identity (when the child is with Americans, she/he would be an Ethnic-American; when the child is in her/his birth country, she/he would be an American) (please name them)
g. Bi-cultural identity (please name it)
h. Other (please explain):

8. Does your child feel proud about his/her bi-cultural/multi-cultural identity?

Check One Never Rarely Sometimes Often Frequently

D. Additional Comments (If you want to be contacted, please feel free to leave your email address):