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theses

Being adopted has the power to change the ways in which people see themselves, their relational roles, and their family. For adopted individuals, identity is unique as it is constructed over time and must include an understanding of what it means to be adopted. In the first part of this study, through interviews, I examine the narratives of adopted individuals as they describe the construction of their identity and the roles their adoptive families play in shaping their sense of self. Specifically, I focus on questions about one’s identity that may arise as a result of being adopted and how, if present, that uncertainty affects their understanding and enactment of a personal identity. Through interviews, I examine the narratives of adopted individuals as they describe the construction of their identity and the roles their adoptive families play in shaping their sense of self. Twenty-two adopted adult individuals were interviewed. Interviews were analyzed using a thematic analysis approach followed by open and axial coding to identify pertinent categories to answer the research questions. Results indicated three competing voices on identity for adopted individuals, the presence of reasons for uncertainty in adopted individuals, and how the presence of identity uncertainty has shaped the individual and familial outcomes. In addition, through post hoc analysis, additional results reflect on the evidence of adopted individuals’ struggles of identity gaps. The second study focuses on the ways in which adopted individuals manage questions they have about their genetic family health history (GFHH) through different information management strategies. Through a nationwide survey, this study applies the theory of motivated information management to examine the processes involved in uncertainty and information management with regard to GFHH of adopted individuals. Proposed hypotheses were analyzed using structural equation modeling to predict four different information management strategies. Results provide mixed support for proposed hypotheses. Consistent with the theory, results indicate that uncertainty discrepancy about GFHH is associated with an array of emotions. All tested emotions except hope, in turn, tend to predict negative outcome expectancies; however, associations between emotions and efficacy assessments are less consistent. Predictions of associations between negative outcome expectancies and efficacy assessments are largely consistent across all models. Finally, negative outcome expectancies consistently predict uncertainty management strategies of information seeking and information avoidance, but not acceptance and support seeking; whereas efficacy assessments were not significant predictors of any uncertainty management strategies. The theoretical and practical implications of each study’s findings are discussed.

http://dissertations.umi.com/gsnb.rutgers:11942

Ph.D.

Includes bibliographical references

Includes vita

doi:10.7282/t3-76yh-wh39

The author owns the copyright to this work.