Exploring Racial Identity Among East and Southeast Asian Transracial Adoptees in the United States through Communication Theory of Identity

Authors

Brooke Marie Hoá Hornberger, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow

First Advisor

Jordan Soliz

Committee Members

Jody Koenig Kellas, Angela Palmer-Wackerly

Date of this Version

8-2025

Document Type

Thesis

Citation

A thesis presented to the faculty of the Graduate College at the University of Nebraska in partial fulfillment of requirements for the degree of Master of Arts

Major: Communication Studies

Under the supervision of Professor Jordan Soliz

Lincoln, Nebraska, August 2025

Comments

Copyright 2025, Brooke Marie Hoá Hornberger. Used by permission

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to understand how East and Southeast Asian transracial adoptees (ESATA) in White adoptive families conceptualize and communicate their racial identity. ESATAs endure various challenges surrounding race that makes it important to understand how ESATAs understand their racial identity, the tensions they might experience, and how they management the tensions surrounding racial identity. Using the theoretical framework Communication Theory of Identity (Hecht, 1993), 25 ESATAs were interviewed about different frames of identity and potential identity gaps they experience surrounding racial identity. In addition, ESATAs were asked about how they communicatively manage identity gap tensions mapping onto Trinh and Faulkner’s (2023) terminology. Reflective thematic analysis was used to identity four frames of identity (personal, relational, enacted, and communal), five identity gaps (personal-relational, personal-communal, personal-enacted, personal-personal and communal-communal), and three strategies of identity gap management (identity compartmentalization, gap reconciliation, or ignoring the gap). These findings highlight the importance of understanding the layers, tensions, and tension management surrounding ESATA racial identity.

Advisor: Jordan Soliz