Abstract
Using the social constructivist theory and Erik Erikson’s developmental theory, this study aimed to understand the formation of identity among school-aged Black children adopted by White parents in South Africa. The identity domains of race and adoption, as well as the influence of relationships on the creation of individual identity, were given special consideration. There were in-depth interviews with two transracial adoptees and three White adoptive parents. The data were analysed using thematic analysis. Many of the hypotheses of social constructivism are supported by the findings of this study, suggesting that there is a dynamic interaction between internal and outward self-positions. In addition, the data demonstrated that the individuals have created racial and adoptive identities marked by internally contradictory attitudes, which may be mitigated by significant familial connections. In addition, issues unique to the South African setting, such as the language barrier among transracially adopted children and poverty, seemed to have a substantial impact on the identities of the participants.