An Analysis of How Multicultural Adult Orphans Achieve Economic Success

AN ANALYSIS OF HOW MULTICULTURAL ADULT ORPHANS
ACHIEVE ECONOMIC SUCCESS
A dissertation submitted by
Saundra W. Simonee
Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree

of Doctor of Education at Dowling College, School of Education,
Department o f Educational Administration, Leadership and Technology
Dowling College
Oakdale, New York
2013
UMI Number: 3580983
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The dissertation submitted by Saundra W. Simonee
for the degree of Doctor of Education
is approved
RobekJJ. Manley, Ph.D.

Chair /
S.i'v'larshall Perry, Ph.D.

Design Specialist
WL
Richard F. Bemato, Ed.D.
Committee Member
Sq^fiaMorpteTEdJD.
jftettder
Thomas F. Kelly, Ph.D.

Reader //
Dowling College
Oakdale, New York
2013
4 ■ ....
ABSTRACT
Successful multicultural adult orphans who were not adopted pose an interesting
challenge in their history, their physical, psychological, social emotional and personal
identity development. One must understand their journey from orphanhood to adulthood
and their current prominent status in life to build a contextualized personal story (Banks,
2001 ).
The purpose o f this study was to examine common factors that contributed to
their success. Although these orphans did not have the traditional support of family,
parents and nurturing guardians, this study examined, investigated, assessed, analyzed,
and dissected the patterns, themes, similarities, commonalities, differences and
discrepancies that contributed to their rising above their circumstances in spite of
adversity.
The question concerning multicultural adult orphans who were not adopted
addressed in this study is a vehicle to assist the global community’s awareness of the
orphan population and their quest to become responsible productive contributing
members o f society.
The intent is to build upon the current body of knowledge and research on
orphans, and to assist in modifying the atrocities of the past. Moreover, to improve the
government policy makers’ education regarding what happens to the orphans once they
age out of the system with no type of support or familial base.
While studies in the area of orphans’ physical, psychological, social emotional
development, and individualization exists, there is a deficit in studies that examine the
factors that contribute to their successful journey to professional, economic and career
success.
The findings o f this study confirmed that leaders of (NGO) Non-Governmental
Organizations that address the needs of orphans would benefit from this research study.
Politicians, administrators, teachers, guidance counselors, social workers and child
psychologists will gain insight into the unique pathways that orphans select and the
dispositions they develop to rise from the depths of despair to the phoenix of
individualization.
This phenomenological qualitative study sought to explore the educational system
and the role the educators play in the orphans growth and development. The 12
multicultural adult orphan participants in this study ranged from ages 40 to 70- years old.
There were six females and six males. Six were Caucasian and six were Ethnically
Diverse from the United States of America and Australia.
The phenomenological qualitative methodology of this study included an in-depth
semi-structured narrative interview protocol with probes consisting of 22 questions. A
demographic questionnaire was developed comprised of eight items focusing on the
participants’ personal identity.
The data procured from the interviews were transcribed, and the results were
analyzed for discrepancies, differences, similarities, commonalities, patterns and themes.
The findings were coded and grouped to identify emerging themes. Eight emergent
themes related to career success were identified Childhood, Education, Faith in Divine
Design, Career Efforts, Self-Concept, Coping, Motivation and Mentors/Counselors.
This study demonstrated the need for politicians, policy makers, government
officials, school boards, school administrators, educators and the community as well as
all stakeholders to join in the reconstruction of the system for the betterment of the
orphan population as well as society.

Furthermore, by doing so they would be addressing the void in the literature
concerning what happens to orphans once they age out of the system. Follow-up data
needs to be examined concerning the aftermath of the at-risk orphan population.
To quote one of the male participants in this study, he said, “What happens to orphans
when they are not adopted? Where do they go and what do they do without the support
of a loving family?”
In almost all cases, these adult orphans found a caring adult to guide them in
childhood and later, in their career pursuits. They created a vision of themselves as
successful learners and pursued deeply a person intellectual interest or creative talent.
They acquired a deep and personal sense of themselves as caring, capable and good
human beings.
It is incumbent all stakeholders revisit and continually review their policies and
procedures for the betterment o f the content and rigor to ensure they are providing
orphans with the skills they need to compete and succeed in the 21st Century global
world.
DEDICATION
This dissertation is dedicated to my family who supplied me with the tools and
nourishment I needed to complete my doctoral journey. Their unending patience,
tolerance, kindness, and unconditional love were the nucleus of my success.
I would also like to thank the superintendent and his cabinet, the board members,
the administrators, faculty, staff, support team and custodial department at Nassau
BOCES, who spent numerous years, months, weeks, days and hours helping me hone and
fine tune my skills in areas in need of reflection. Moreover, they gave me the
instrumental, instructional, academic pedagogical, technological, social and emotional
support necessary to complete this dissertation. To that end, they taught me how to
become a stronger, more confident and powerful women with steadfast determination and
a positive outlook.
I have been empowered! I learned to be a “victor” and not a “victim” and to
focus on my dreams. These qualities were extremely important as I journeyed and made
my way through the doctoral program and the tedious dissertation process. I would like to
also thank my professional colleagues. My appreciation cannot be expressed in mere
words.
My children taught me to appreciate the small things in life and to create and
perpetuate traditions. Their love and constant affection helped me grow as a person and a
mother. I am indebted to them for these lessons learned.
My eldest daughter became my personal assistant and spent numerous hours
typing my transcriptions and polishing the research study edits. Thank you also for
giving me hugs when I came home distraught, wounded and sobbing in tears. Your love
and support has solidified a mother-daughter bond, which I never thought would happen.
I love you unconditionally.
And to the love of my life and my better half who sacrificed his time with me to
enable me to be the best that I can be. He has given me strength through the toughest
times, a shoulder to lean on, a brain to pick, and intellectual banter that has helped me
appreciate the world at another level. With his wings beneath my shield I can soar and
understand who I am and how to be a complete, committed, responsible, and thoughtful
human being. Thank you all for providing me with the love, support and encouragement
to achieve my dream.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I am extremely thankful to the individuals who spent endless hours helping me
develop my research interest topic and providing me with the critical feedback needed to
make this study “scholarly and academic” as well as valuable and important to the field
o f education.
To my doctoral dissertation chairperson, Dr. Robert J. Manley, whose genius,
brilliance, perfectionism, guidance, tolerance, patience and acute attention to detail
helped me “stay the course,” even when my frustrations and emotions consumed me.
Professor Manley’s innumerable teaching, coaching, writing and editing sessions with
crucial feedback on my writing kept me on the writing track. His advising, mentoring
and counseling was the cornerstone of my determination to produce a high quality
product.
He taught me during this rigorous journey to think more critically and more
broadly about the world in general. This led to the improvement of my scholarly
academic pedagogy and academician style. To his credit, I have become a scholarly and
academic author.
In particular, I would like to thank him for his regal, stoic, steadfast and
professional demeanor guiding me through each step of the process. Moreover, having
the determination, steadfastness, confidence, trust, pride and most importantly the faith to
nurture and help heal my wounded soul and to see me through a tumultuous time of pain
and adversity to achieve professional and career success. Dr. Manley, you epitomize the
role of an educator. “You are my earth angel.”
To my doctoral dissertation design specialist, Dr. S. Marshall Perry, whose
philosophical outlook, patience, wisdom, and quiet demeanor granted me the gifts of
understanding, pristine culture and time.
He continually provided me with significant insight and wisdom throughout my
doctoral dissertation journey. Dr. Perry always said when I reached a certain plateau in
my research study, “It looks good, so far” which meant that I must continually try to
improve and expand on the process until it was perfect. Dr. Perry, thank you for
accepting my request to be my doctoral dissertation design specialist and thank you for
your endorsements, it meant the world to me.
To my doctoral dissertation external reader, Dr. Richard F. Bemato whose
attention to detail, meticulous eye and critical investment in my education and research
study helped to elevate me to reach a higher level. He provided me with intellectual
conversation, advisement, mentoring and motivation to initially embark on this doctoral
journey.
Dr. Bemato said, “Saundra, utilize the time upon completion of your final written
dissertation draft to prepare for a flawless oral dissertation defense.” Dr. Bemato, you are
my mentor and I will follow in your footsteps and “Do God’s Work.”
To my doctoral dissertation reader, Dr. Elsa-Sofia Morote, whose brilliance,
guidance, tenacity, confidence, persistence and feedback were instrumental in the initial
development of the topic for this dissertation. She helped me serendipitously to discover
my topic and perfect this study. You are one o f the people God put in my life at the right
time, to fulfill a purpose that was meant to be through divine intervention.
It is to Dr. Morote’s credit that I have found peace with myself as a female
multicultural, racially and ethnically diverse adult orphan who was not adopted, yet
achieved professional, economic, and career success.
Dr. Morote I will be forever eternally and humbly grateful to you for opening my
X
closet door and helping me step out to remove my facade.
To my doctoral dissertation reader, Dr. Thomas F. Kelly whose spiritual guidance,
character, ethical, moral compass, and faith in GOD guided and supported me throughout
this tumultuous journey. Dr. Kelly’s spiritual compass steered me in the right direction
whenever I veered off course.
Dr. Kelly your demeanor and actions demonstrate the meaning of moral and
ethical character. To that end, his words echoed in my ear “The truth shall set you free.”
With that said, the truth did set me free.
Most importantly, I would like to thank all the members of my multicultural
committee.
To my doctoral advisor, Dr. Albert F. Inserra for giving o f himself, having
unending patience, tolerance, and time with me throughout the initial commencement of
my doctoral journey. Also, Dr. Inserra, your infectious smile is contagious!
Dr. Inserra provided the support, wisdom, guidance, and the moral compass to
steer me in the right direction, moreover, he was never too busy to find time to counsel
and advise me. Dr. Inserra told me, “to touch my dissertation every day” and that is
exactly what I did; not a day went by that I did not touch and work on my research study
and dissertation. He constantly reminded me to smile, relax, and enjoy the process.
Thanks, I needed that!
To Dr. Diane Impagliazzo, there are no words to describe the impact you have
made on my educational journey. I was truly blessed the day you entered my life. “You
are my muse.”
I would also like to acknowledge and thank my fellow members from Cohort 15
and the members of my doctoral dissertation seminar group. It was a great journey. I will
forever cherish the friendships and relationships that I formed with all of you during our
time together. You will forever remain a part of my life. To my seminar members our time
together was stupendous, amazing, and exhilarating.
My thanks to Cohort 15 “The Invincibles” for your never-ending love, support,
and assistance throughout this tumultuous doctoral journey; it is you who kept me
believing in myself.
Essentially, the original fifteen members o f Cohort 15 represented the
multicultural mosaic o f all the racial and ethnic groups in America according to the
United States of America Census Bureau. All of you will always be placed at the
forefront of my life. “You are my extended family.”
To my family and friends, whose patience throughout this process were more than
I could have asked for; I am forever grateful for your understanding.
A special thanks to all, whose love, support and friendship kept me focused on my
goal. The team approach throughout this process proved to be an invaluable and
important component o f the endless writing sessions, honest feedback, and this frantic
and fantastic journey.
It would not have been possible without the assistance, support; advice and
guidance of the Dowling College security staff, the aviation department, the culinary arts
department, the instructional technology experts, the custodial department, the doctoral
executives, and wonderful team of professors. Moreover, the cement that keeps the team
together is Mrs. Nancy Ordemann. What a wonderful community to be forever
associated with as an alumna.
With that said, Dowling College is “My Personal College.”

TABLE OF CONTENTS
D E D IC A T IO N ....................................................................................................................................... vi
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.................................................................................................viii
TABLE OF CONTENTS......................................................................................................xii
LIST OF TABLES............................................................................................................. xxiii
LIST OF FIGURES............................................................................................................ xxv
CHAPTER I - INTRODUCTION......................................................................................... 1
Introduction..................................................................................................................1
Purpose of the Study...................................................................................................7
Statement of the Problem........................................................................................... 8
Research Questions.....................................................................................................8
Research question one.................................................................................................8
Research question two................................................................................................ 8
Research question three.............................................................................................. 8
Research question four................................................................................................ 8
Research question five....................................................................................8
Research question six......................................................................................8
Research question seven................................................................................. 9
Research question eight.................................................................................. 9
Research question nine....................................................................................9
Selection of Participants.............................................................................................. 9
Definition of Major Variables and Terms................................................................ 10
Orphan.........................................................................................................................10
Adult Orphan...............................................................................................................10
Institutionalized 10
Orphanage................................................................................................................... 10
Home for Orphans...................................................................................................... 11
Foster Care System..................................................................................................... 11
Heritage........................................................................................................................ 12
Culture.......................................................................................................................... 12
Multiculturalism.......................................................................................................... 12
Multicultural................................................................................................................13
Ethnically Diverse...................................................................................................... 14
United Stateso f America...............................................................................14
Australia......................................................................................................... 14
Personal Identity........................................................................................................ 15
Sense o f Diversity...................................................................................................... 16
Adversity....................................................................................................................16
Tactic Knowledge..................................................................................................... 17
Strategy...................................................................................................................... 17
Components of Motivation...................................................................................... 17
Extrinsic Vs. Intrinsic Motivation...........................................................................18
Tenacity......................................................................................................................18
Persistence..................................................................................................................18
Perseverance.............................................................................................................. 18
Survival Skills........................................................................................................... 19
Self-Concept............................................................................................................. 19
Academic Self-Concept........................................................................................... 19
xiv
Emotional Intelligence............................................................................................. 20
Self-Management......................................................................................................20
Self-Regulated Learning.......................................................................................... 21
Success.......................................................................................................................21
Career Success..........................................................................................................21
Self-Efficacy............................................................................................................. 22
Professional Efficacy............................................................................................... 23
Sense of Purpose.......................................................................................................23
Perceptions................................................................................................................ 23
Teacher Influence.....................................................................................................24
Teacher Expectations.............................................................................................. 24
Trust...........................................................................................................................25
Resilience.................................................................................................................. 26
Conceptual Rational................................................................................................. 26
Significance of the Study.........................................................................................31
Limitations................................................................................................................. 32
CHAPTER II - REVIEW OF THE RELATED RESEARCH LITERATURE...............33
Introduction...............................................................................................................33
Orphan........................................................................................................................35
Adult Orphan................................................................................................ 35
Parental Death............................................................................................................35
History of Orphanages................................................................................. 37
Institutionalization and Orphanages........................................................... 42
Foster Care System................................................................................................... 43

XV
4 >#*.*■. ■»•* ■ « ■ •
Orphan Development................................................................................................. 43
Infancy and Childhood Development.......................................................... 43
Adolescence and Belonging.......................................................................................46
Knowledge o f Heritage.............................................................................................. 49
Tactic Knowledge.......................................................................................... 51
Mentors and Role Models............................................................................. 52
Adversity......................................................................................................................54
Adaptation to Adversity.................................................................................54
Self-Concept............................................................................................................... 55
Self-Esteem................................................................................................................. 56
Efficacy...................................................................................................................... 58
Sources of Efficacy........................................................................................ 59
Self-Efficacy...............................................................................................................60
Academic Self-Efficacy................................................................................ 62
Professional Efficacy.....................................................................................63
Sense o f Purpose.........................................................................................................63
Perceptions.................................................................................................................. 63
Components o f Motivation........................................................................................64
Extrinsic Vs. Intrinsic Motivation................................................................64
Strategy...................................................................................................................... 64
Strategic Thinking.........................................................................................65
Strategic Coping...........................................................................................66
Self-Management...................................................................................................... 67
Self-Regulated Learning............................................................................... 67
xvi
Ethnicity.......................................................................................................................68
Ethnography................................................................................................................ 69
Culture..........................................................................................................................69
Multiculturalism..........................................................................................................70
Multicultural............................................................................................................... 71
The United States o f America....................................................................................72
Ethnically Diverse....................................................................................................72
Aboriginal Australian...............................................................................................73
Personal Identity.........................................................................................................74
Sense of Diversity.................................................................................................... 75
Orphans and Their Gender.......................................................................................76
Gender/Ethnicity.........................................................................................................79
Emotional Intelligence and Resilience......................................................................79
Resilience........................................................................................................80
Ethical and Moral Attitudes......................................................................................81
Education.................................................................................................................... 83
Teacher-Student Relationships.....................................................................84
Trust o f Teachers......................................................................................... 85
Teacher Expectations....................................................................................87
Multicultural Education........................................................................................... 88
Culture Awareness....................................................................................... 89
Multicultural Instruction..............................................................................90
Orphans and Barriers to Professional Success....................................................... 90
Loss and Grief...........................................................................................................92

xvii
Attachment and Mourning......................................................................................... 94
Determinants of Behavior.......................................................................................... 95
Tenacity........................................................................................................... 96
Persistence.......................................................................................................96
Perseverance...................................................................................................96
Survival Skills................................................................................................ 96
Success............................................................................................................ 97
Economic Success......................................................................................... 97
Career Success............................................................................................................ 99
Qualities o f Successful People.................................................................... 102
Ability and Dispositions..............................................................................104
Self-Determination...................................................................................... 105
Self-Reliance.................................................................................................105
Self-Actualization.....................................................................................................107
Summary....................................................................................................................108
CHAPTER III - RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY................................. 110
Introduction................................................................................................................110
Research Questions...................................................................................................I l l
Research question one.................................................................................. I l l
Research question two.................................................................................111
Research question three...............................................................................111
Research question four................................................................................I l l
Research question five.................................................................................111
Research question six..................................................................................I l l

xviii
Research question seven............................................................................111
Research question eight.............................................................................111
Research question nine.............................................................................. 112
Selection of Participants..........................................................................................112
Setting.......................................................................................................................114
Data CollectionTechniques.....................................................................................114
Instrument................................................................................................................ 115
Content Validity.......................................................................................................116
Interview Protocol................................................................................................... 119
Data Collection Procedures.....................................................................................119
Data Analysis........................................................................................................... 119
Research question one................................................................................ 120
Research question two............................................................................... 120
Research question three............................................................................. 121
Research question four...............................................................................121
Research question five............................................................................... 121
Research question six.................................................................................121
Research question seven............................................................................ 121
Research question eight............................................................................. 121
Research question nine.............................................................................. 121
Validity..................................................................................................................... 122
Reliability................................................................................................................. 122
Data Analysis............................................................................................................123
Interview Protocol....................................................................................................123
xix
Demographic Questionnaire.................................................................................... 125
Demographic Data................................................................................................... 126
CHAPTER IV - DATA ANALYSIS AND FINDINGS.................................................. 128
Introduction.............................................................................................................. 128
Research Questions..................................................................................................128
Research question one................................................................................. 128
Research question two................................................................................. 128
Research question three...............................................................................129
Research question four................................................................................129
Research question five................................................................................. 129
Research question six................................................................................... 129
Research question seven..............................................................................129
Research question eight...............................................................................129
Research questions nine...............................................................................129
Demographic Analysis............................................................................................. 129
Distribution o f Participants...................................................................................... 130
Description o f Participants....................................................................................... 133
Research Questions...................................................................................................135
Research Question One............................................................................................ 137
Research Question One Summary...........................................................................142
Research Question Two........................................................................................... 143
Research Question Two Summary......................................................................... 146
Research Question Three......................................................................................... 147

XX
Addendum Question with Probes............................................................................150
Research Question Three Summary.........................................................................159
Research Question Four............................................................................................161
Research Question Four Summary.......................................................................... 163
Research Question Five............................................................................................164
Research Question Five Summary..........................................................................165
Research Question Six.............................................................................................167
Research Question Six Summary............................................................................170
Research Question Seven........................................................................................ 172
Research Question Seven Summary........................................................................175
Research Question Eight......................................................................................... 176
Research Question Eight Summary.........................................................................193
Research Question Nine...........................................................................................195
Research Question Nine Summary........................................................................ 210
CHAPTER V - SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATION..........217
Introduction............................................................................................................. 217
Summary.................................................................................................................. 218
Conclusions.............................................................................................................. 233
Gender...................................................................................................................... 238
Personal Identity......................................................................................................239
Perceptions of Basic Needs.....................................................................................239
Trust...........................................................................................................................240
Self-Concept.............................................................................................................241
Self-Esteem............................................................................................................... 243
xxi
Adaptation to Adversity........................................................................................... 243
Professional Efficacy................................................................................................244
Sense o f purpose.......................................................................................................244
Mentorship................................................................................................................ 245
Culture and Culture Awareness.............................................................................. 246
Culture Mosaic..........................................................................................................247
Teacher Influence.....................................................................................................248
Tenacity......................................................................................................................252
Persistence................................................................................................................. 252
Perseverance............................................................................................................. 252
Survival Skills...........................................................................................................252
Abraham Maslow's Hierarchy of Need...................................................................255
Recommendations.................................................................................................... 256
Recommendations for Future Research..................................................................260
REFERENCES..................................................................................................................... 267
APPENDIX A - INTERVIEW PROTOCOL QUESTIONNAIRE.................................. 296
APPENDIX B - MULTICULTURAL ADULT ORPHAN DEMOGRAPHICS............298
APPENDIX C - LETTER OF INTRODUCTION............................................................. 299
APPENDIX D - INFORMED CONSENT FORM............................................................ 300
APPENDIX E - DEBRIEFING LETTER TO PARTICIPANTS..................................... 301
APPENDIX F - FOLLOW UP CONTACT VIA TELEPHONE, E-MAIL, SKYPE

OR IN PERSON TO PARTICIPANTS WHO RESPONDED
AFFIRMATIVELY...................................................................................302
APPENDIX G - THE CURRENT PERSPECTIVE AND POSITION OF THE

PARTICIPANTS......................................................................................303
xxii
APPENDIX H - CONFIRMATION LETTER TO PROCEED WITH INTERVIEWS..306
APPENDIX I - PARTICIPANT MEMBER CHECKING................................................ 307
APPENDIX J - INSTITUTIONAL REVIEW BOARD APPROVAL LETTER............308
APPENDIX K - PROFILE OF PARTICIPANTS..............................................................309
SUMMARY PROFILE OF PARTICIPANTS................................................................... 345

XX111
LIST OF TABLES
TABLE 1.1 Multicultural Groups...................................................................................... 15
TABLE 3.1 Selections of Participants.............................................................................113
TABLE 3.2 Participants’ Interviews...............................................................................115
TABLE 3.3 Interview Protocol and Variables................................................................ 117
TABLE 3.4 Themes.......................................................................................................... 126
TABLE 4.1 Demographics of the Participants............................................................... 134
TABLE 4.2 Themes.......................................................................................................... 136
TABLE 4.3 Sources of Self-Identity...............................................................................160
TABLE 4.4 Childhood Gender Differences and Similarities........................................177
TABLE 4.5 Education Gender Differences and Similarities.........................................179
TABLE 4.6 Faith In Divine Design Gender Differences and Similarities.................. 182
TABLE 4.7 Career Gender Differences and Similarities.............................................. 183
TABLE 4.8 Self-Concept Gender Differences and Similarities................................... 185
TABLE 4.9 Coping Gender Differences and Similarities.............................................186
TABLE 4.10 Motivation Gender Differences and Similarities...................................... 188
TABLE 4.11 Mentors/Counselors Gender Differences and Similarities....................... 189
TABLE 4.12 Marital Status Gender Differences and Similarities................................. 191
TABLE 4.13 Childhood Caucasian and Ethnically Diverse Differences and

Similarities.....................................................................................................199
TABLE 4.14 Education Caucasian and Ethnically Diverse Differences and

Similarities.................................................................................................... 201
TABLE 4.15 Faith in Divine Design Caucasian and Ethnically Diverse

Differences and Similarities......................................................................... 202
TABLE 4.16 Career Caucasian and Ethnically Diverse Differences and

Similarities.................................................................................................... 203
xx iv
TABLE 4.17 Self-Concept Caucasian and Ethnically Diverse Differences and

Similarities.....................................................................................................204
TABLE 4.18 Coping Caucasian and Ethnically Diverse Differences and

Similarities.....................................................................................................206
TABLE 4.19 Motivation Caucasian and Ethnically Diverse Differences and

Similarities.....................................................................................................208
TABLE 4.20 Mentors/Counselors Caucasian and Ethnically Diverse

Differences and Similaritie.......................................................................... 209
XXV
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 4.1 Advising vs. Mentoring vs. Counseling Continuum......................................169
Figure 5.1 Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy o f Needs........................................................ 255

CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
Introduction
challenge in their history, and their physical, psychological, social emotional and
personal identity development. One must understand the journey from orphanhood to
current prominent status in life to build a contextualized personal story (Banks, 2001).
Orphans and Barriers to Professional Success
Children without parents or loving guardians become vulnerable to the
behavioral and emotional issues of marginalization. Often, they are educationally
disadvantaged, unaware of their own value as human beings and generally unprepared
for adult life (Edwards, Cotton, Zhao, Gelabert, & Bowen, 2007).
As governments and international (NGO) Non-Governmental Organizations
struggle to assist orphans, they find their efforts hampered by insufficient resources and
difficulty providing, comprehensively, for the physical, psychological, social and
emotional needs of children without families (Edwards et al., 2007).
McKenzie (2009) a successful adult orphan, who was not adopted and grew up in
an orphanage, has written numerous books and articles about the subject including his
autobiography and the orphan train movement. Dr. McKenzie, an Economics and
Management professor at the University o f California, Irvine, is the editor o f "Home

2
Away From Home: The Forgotten History of Orphanages" (2009). He further stated:
Critics o f orphanages point out that children are always better off in loving
and safe biological families. That’s always been the case, of course, but
many kids have no hope of access to such families. There are about 143
million orphaned children, and tens of millions more abandoned, in the
world today. Over a half-million American kids are in foster care (which
is often luxury care by the standards of orphanage care in poor countries),
but still a sizable percentage of American foster-care kids will have their
disadvantages compounded in one important way: They will spend their
entire childhoods in the worst of all possible situations, “permanent
temporary care,” in which they will be moved from one placement to the
next to the next, many losing count of their foster homes before they “age
out” of the system at 18. (p. 7)
Mckenzie (2010) observed that orphans today are more damaged than orphans
were in the day of orphan trains and faith-based orphanages. The vast majority of foster
children have been exposed to alcohol/drugs in utero; and with drugs and alcohol come
domestic violence, sexual abuse, all kinds of abuse, gross negligence and abandonment.
(Mckenzie, 2010)
Adolescence is a turbulent time for even the most confident youngster (Bandura,
1997; Schunk & Meece, 2005). During this period, adolescents experience a stage of
rapid cognitive, emotional, physical and social growth (Bandura, 1997, 2006; Carnegie
Council on Adolescent Development, 1995; Domagala-Zysk, 2006; Pearson, 2008;
Sadowski, 2008; Schunk & Meece, 2005; Wigfield et al., 1991), and experiment with
behavior and pose questions to an attempt to construct meaning about their surroundings
(Nakkula & Toshalis, 2006).
Nakkula and Toshalis (2006) believe that, “the core meaning of adolescent
development lies fundamentally in the interpretations adolescents make of themselves
and their world” (p. 5). Their interpretations of their place in the world impact their
experiences in school as they create meaning and select behaviors that influence their
3
academic future (Nakkula & Toshalis, 2006; Sadowski, 2008).
Abandonment
Voirst (1998) described the difficulty of attaining identity:
Probably the greatest reason why we tend to rebel against our developing
individual identity is because we feel it comes between our self and the
mother with whom we once shared a world-embracing oneness. We must
count among our necessary losses the giving up of this world-embracing
oneness; we will never give up wanting to retrieve it. (p. 39)
Viorst (1998) offers insight into normal separation from a mother:
We begin life with loss but until we can learn to tolerate our physical and
psychological separateness, our need for our mother's presence is absolute.
It's hard to become a separate self, to separate both literally and
emotionally, to be able to outwardly stand alone, and to inwardly feel
ourselves to be distinct, (p. 22)
There are losses we have to endure, that may be balanced by our gains, as
we move away from the body and being o f our mothers. What prevent us
from separating ourselves from our mothers are the high cost of leaving,
the high cost of the loss, and the cost of separation, (p. 23)
In some cases, this cost of leaving one’s mother is too high. Viorst observes that,
“too often; people refuse to leave because they can endure anything but abandonment
from their mother” (p. 23).
According to Viorst, the unknown stages can be most difficult for those in grief.
Viorst (1998) states:
Loss gives rise to anxiety when the loss is either impending or thought to
be temporary. Anxiety contains a kernel of hope. But when loss appears to
be permanent, anxiety, protest, gives way to depression, despair, and we
may not only feel lonely and sad but responsible (“I drove her away”) and
helpless (“I can do nothing to bring her back”) and unlovable (“There is
something about me that makes me unworthy of love”) and hopeless
(“Therefore I'll feel this way forever!”).
Studies show that early childhood losses make us sensitive to losses we

encounter later on. And so, in mid-life, our response to a death in the
family, a divorce, the loss of a job, may be a severe depression, the
response of that helpless and hopeless, and angry child, (p. 32)
4
In her essay “The Orphan: From Complex to Archetype,” Jungian analyst
Melinda Hass (2002) makes it a point to illustrate the ubiquity of the reality of the
practice o f infant abandonment. From a natural science perspective, she points out, the
“neglecting, abandoning, killing or otherwise getting rid of one’s young is not the sole
purview of parents and their children; it is found in all permutations throughout nature, as
well” (p. 5).
UCLA neuroscientist, Dr. Alan Schore (2003) states that after infancy a child has
determined whether or not the world is safe and whether he/she is good or bad. The
children he saw had terror so wired into their brains that getting them to trust a new
parent or anyone else was next to impossible.
Dr. Schore (2003) also states that neglect is worse than abuse, that if an infant is
neglected he is mostly wired to believe he is worthless. “Turning these early belief
patterns around is not impossible, but it is far more difficult than most would believe”
(p. 8).
Isaac (2008) discussed how the abandoned child embodied perhaps the most
desperate o f lived expressions of the orphaned archetype.
Nurturing Orphan Infants
Edwards, Cotton, Zhao, Gelabert, and Bowen, (2007) address the (NGO) Non-
Governmental Organizations success in providing infant nurture and preschool
enrichment programs in partnership with international, national and provincial
governments, through a coherent blend of cultural practices in curriculum and program
operation. This is an accomplishment of interest and note for several reasons. First,
Edwards et al. found that infants and toddlers in large institutional nurseries could begin
5
to thrive simply from “intervention by nannies trained to encourage bonding and
attachment while providing loving attention that supported the babies’ actions, interests,
and initiatives” (p. 7).
Furthermore, according to Edwards et al. 2007, it was uncertain whether
attachment frameworks o f adult-child interaction could be culturally translated to make
good sense in the international, national and provincial government contexts and
situations. Nor was there evidence to predict whether the teachers and nannies would be
able within the time frames o f their working day and week to develop strong and secure
enough relationships with these particular children to energize substantial learning and
development on the part of the children,
Finally, it was not known whether the programs could be taken to scale and
sustained over time. Edwards et al. found that the proper training and support for nannies
resulted in their successful bonding with infants and toddlers in complex ways that led to
the children’s success in learning and other social interactions. They concluded that these
programs could be sustained: “Only through the emerging partnership among well-
meaning people willing to continually reexamine their goals and negotiate on behalf of a
concept that was essentially integrative, holistic and humanistic” (p. 3).
Adolescence and Belonging
Unfortunately, just when adolescents are in need o f supportive adults and
opportunities to belong to a group, middle schools are unprepared to provide this for
them (Carnegie Council on Adolescent Development, 1989; Eccles & Midgley, 1989).
Several studies that analyzed adolescents’ experiences in school, found that perceptions
o f academic competence, values and course grades grew more negative during this time
(Carnegie Council on Adolescent Development, 1995; Eccles et al., 1993; Midgley et al.,
6
1988).
The childhood development from birth to adolescent is a tumultuous time in
anyone’s home and in school. For orphans, this period poses many more challenges to
their self-concept and sense of efficacy. Self-efficacy influences choice of behavioral
activities, effort expenditure, persistence in the face of obstacles and task performance
(Multon et al., 1991).
Schools can provide adolescents with opportunities to develop their intellectual
capabilities, help them experience a sense of competence and belonging, as well as
promote positive interactions with supportive adults (Roeser, 1996).
Bandura (1997) found that the amount of effort a student expended on a task was
related to a student’s efficacy and a sense of achievement on the task. Performance on a
task always occurs in contexts that include a host of factors that may hinder or facilitate
success (Bandura, 1997).
Adult Orphans and Achievement
Academic achievement is an indicator of resiliency (Bowman & Howard, 1985).
Barbarin, (1993) concluded that resiliency was associated with academic achievement.
Kinard (1998) indicated that intelligence tests and grades in school are commonly
associated with resilience and cognitive functioning. He further stated:
The problem, which can be encountered with standardized intelligence

tests, is that these tests can be culture biased which may result in invalid
information. The adult orphans who achieved success embraced the
above-mentioned achievement and work ethic skills they established in
their childhood, which transferred to their achieving success in adult life.
(p. 672)
During adolescence, students also experience increasing academic pressures
(Domagala-Zysk, 2006). Studies about students in the sixth through ninth grades
7
^ a,-
revealed a dramatic decline in achievement, especially in the seventh grade (Wigfield &
Eccles, 1994).
Students who have higher self-efficacy and who feel they are able to manage the
task under difficult circumstances have a higher probability of succeeding (Zimmerman
& Cleary, 2006). A review of the related literature suggested that adult orphans
encountered and overcame many obstacles to succeed. At times, they exhibited
resiliency in the face o f difficulties that were social and emotional. According to
Bandura (1997), they seem to have acquired a sense of personal efficacy, skills in self
management and self-regulated learning. Palincsar and Brown (1984) stated that
resiliency in the face o f difficulty requires having special coping and tactic knowledge.
Successful people tend to have a strong sense of emotional intelligence and the capacity
to withhold judgment until they have sufficient information to make an informed decision
(Goleman, 1995).
Purpose of the Study
The purpose of this study was to investigate and understand adult orphans who
were not adopted and their adaptations to adversity that enabled them to achieve highly
successful careers. Moreover, their capacity to create simple and consistent self
management practices, to use tactic knowledge, self-regulated learning, coping tactics,
their sense o f emotional intelligence and their strategies to overcome the obstacles and
barriers they encountered throughout their lives were investigated.
Furthermore, this study examined the role the educational system played in the
participants’ lives. Additionally, this study examined the influence of academic self-
efficacy on their career achievement and success.

8
Statement of the Problem
How do adult orphans who have successful careers relate their personal stories
about their adaptations to adversity, self-management, self-regulated learning, emotional
intelligence, self-concept, academic self-concept, coping, tactic knowledge and strategies
to overcome barriers to career success? Furthermore, what patterns, themes, and
discrepancies do they reveal in their personal stories that illuminate their shared and
unique pathways to professional success?
Research Questions
The following questions guided this study:
Research question one
What patterns, similarities and discrepancies did orphaned adults who achieved
responsible and productive lives describe in their narrative about their childhood?
Research question two
What adaptations to adversity and coping skills enabled these adult orphans to
achieve highly successful careers?
Research question three
What helped them obtain personal identity and success in their career?
Research question four
How did the respondents describe their self-concept and emotional intelligence?
Research question five
How did the respondents employ motivation and strategic thinking to their lives?
Research question six
How did mentors and role models influence their lives?

9
Research question seven
How did the adult orphans describe teacher behaviors, their trust in teachers and
education in general?
Research question eight
How did male and female respondents compare in their descriptions of childhood,
education, faith in divine design, self-concept, career, coping strategies, motivation,
mentors and counselors?
Research question nine
How did Caucasian and Ethnically Diverse respondents compare in their
descriptions o f childhood, education, faith in divine design, self-concept, career, coping
strategies, motivation, mentors and counselors?
Selection of Participants
For the purpose o f the study, success was determined by one’s educational status
and position in life, which is the achievement o f a high school education or terminal
degree. Moreover, the participant had to be gainfully employed or successfully retired
and demonstrated the ability to support one’s self and one’s family. Orphans who are
male and female members o f the primary racial and ethnic groups in the United States of
America and Australia were the participants in this study. Each participant in this study
has authored an autobiographical book or article.
Approval for this study was obtained from the Dowling College Institutional
Review Board. This study abided by all the policies, rules and regulations regarding
human subjects. Subjects received a letter o f introduction assuring the confidentiality of
responses to the interview questions and a request to sign a consent form.

10
Definition of Major Variables and Terms
To understand the scope of this study, the major variables and terms need to be
defined.
Orphan
An orphan, according to The Oxford English Dictionary (1997), is “To be without
parents, to be bereaved o f parent or parents.” (OED3) There is no mention to age limits
and therefore although connected in our culture to childhood, Barkan-Dahan (2009) states
that one can be considered and referred to an orphan regardless of age.
Adult Orphan
For the purpose of this study an adult orphan is an adult who was abandoned by
parents in childhood or loss parents through death. Additionally, the adult orphans were
not adopted nor did they have a loving, nurturing or caring parent available to them.
According to Barkan-Dahan (2009), adult orphans remain in mourning and
showed little support that they passed through the stage of mourning the loss of parents.
Institutionalized
Established as normal: having become an established custom or an accepted part
o f the structure o f a large organization or society because of having existed for so long.
Dependent on Routine o f Institution
Lacking the will or ability to think and act independently because of having spent
a long time in an institution such as an orphanage, psychiatric hospital or prison.
Orphanage
An orphanage is an institution devoted to the care of children whose parents are
deceased or otherwise unable to care for them. Parents, and sometimes grandparents, are
legally responsible for supporting children, but in the absence of these or other relatives
11
willing to care for the children, they become a ward of the state, and orphanages are a
way o f providing for their care and housing.
Foster care and more extensive adoption programs have been the preferred
practice in many developed nations; however, there will always be a situation where there
is a shortage of foster parents requiring orphanages to provide care for children.
Home fo r Orphans
A home or other institutional setting for orphans, often operated by a local
government or charitable organization
Foster Care System
Foster care is the term used for a system in which a minor who became a ward is
placed in the private home o f a state certified caregiver referred to as a “foster parent.”
The state through the family court and child protection agency stand in loco
parentis to the minor, making all legal decisions while the foster parent is responsible for
the day-to-day care o f said minor. The foster parent is remunerated by the state for their
services.
Foster care is intended to be a short-term situation until a permanent placement
can be made such as: reunification with the biological parent(s) or a biological family
member. Another preference would be adoption by an aunt/uncle or grandparent.
If none o f these options are viable, the plan for the minor may enter OPPLA
(Other Planned Permanent Living Arrangement). This option allows the child to stay in
custody of the state and the child can stay placed in a foster home, with a relative or a
long term care facility (for children with development disabilities, physical disabilities or
mental disabilities).
12
Heritage
Miller (2006) states that heritage refers to:
1. Something somebody is bom to: the status, conditions, or character

acquired by being bom into a particular family or social class
2. Riches of past: a country's or area's history and historical buildings and
sites that are considered to be of interest and value to present
generations
3. Something passing from generation to generation: something that
passes from one generation to the next in a social group, e.g. a way of
life or traditional culture, (p. 41)
Culture
Howard Handelman (2000) provides a definition of culture by way o f defining
ethnicity, wherein he equates the two. Handelman quotes Donald Rothchild and
Victor Olorunsola (1983): “They (ethnic cultural groups) generally have (or believe
themselves to have) a common history, traditions, beliefs, and values that unite their
members and distinguish them from other cultures” (p. 20).
Culture refers to a “learned body o f tradition that governs what one needs to
know, think, and feel in order to meet the standards of membership” (Goodenough,
1970).
Multiculturalism
Multiculturalism is a situation in which all the different cultural or racial groups
in society have equal rights and opportunities and none is ignored or regarded as
unimportant (Banks, 1995).
According to Meyer (2010), Multiculturalism (or ethnic diversity) relates to
communities containing multiple cultures. The term is used in two broad ways, either
descriptively or normatively. As a descriptive term, it usually refers to the simple fact of
cultural diversity: it is generally applied to the demographic make-up of a specific place.

13
As a normative term, it refers to ideologies or policies that promote this diversity or its
institutionalization; in this sense, multiculturalism is a society “at ease with the rich
tapestry of human life and the desire amongst people to express their own identity in the
manner they see fit.”
Such ideologies or policies vary widely, including country to country, ranging
from the advocacy o f equal respect to the various cultures in a society, to a policy of
promoting the maintenance of cultural diversity, to policies in which people of various
ethnic and religious groups are addressed by the authorities as defined by the group they
belong to. However, two main different and seemingly inconsistent strategies have
developed through different Government policies and strategies: The first focuses on
interaction and communication between different cultures. Interactions of cultures
provide opportunities for the cultural differences to communicate and interact to create
multiculturalism. (Such approaches are also often known as inter-culturalism.) The
second centers on diversity and cultural uniqueness. Cultural isolation can protect the
uniqueness of the local culture of a nation or area and also contribute to global cultural
diversity. The common aspect of many policies following the second approach is that
they avoid presenting any specific ethnic, religious, or cultural community values as
central. Multiculturalism is often contrasted with the concepts of assimilationism and has
been described as a “salad bowl” or “cultural mosaic” rather than a “melting pot” (pp. 15-
17).
Multicultural
Chisholm (1994) stated that multicultural and national diversity are key
components in the 21st Century. The nature of our national composition demands the
multicultural preparation of teachers. Our nation is not a melting pot wherein human
14
diversity fuses into a uniform America. On the contrary, ours is a mosaic of vibrant,
diverse colors in which a cultural medley forms a variegated whole called the American
culture. Within this national mosaic, each component culture retains its uniqueness while
adding to the composition of the whole. Banks, (1996) also posits that multicultural
means consisting of several different cultural, racial or ethnic groups. It can refer to a
specific region, an event or national diversity.
Ethnically Diverse
United States o f America
Ethnically Diverse according to the United States Census Bureau is defined as:
The Bureau o f the Census is part of the United States Department of Commerce. The
United States Census is a decennial census mandated by the United States Constitution.
The population is enumerated every 10 years and the results are used to allocate
Congressional seats (congressional apportionment), electoral votes, and government
program funding.
The multicultural and ethnically diverse adult orphan participants in this study are
categorized according to the United States Census Bureau Report and the Census Report
of the Australian Bureau o f Statistics.
Australia
Horton (1994) purported Aboriginal Australians, also referred to as Aboriginal
people, are people whose ancestors were indigenous to the Australian continent — that is,
to mainland Australia or to the island of Tasmania—before British colonization of the
continent began in 1788. After they began colonizing Australia in 1788, the British
coined the category “Aboriginal Australians,” to refer, collectively; to all peoples they
found already inhabiting the continent, and later to the descendants of any o f those
15
peoples. Until the 1980s, the sole legal and administrative criterion for inclusion in this
category was race.
This study includes multicultural adult orphan participants from the United States
o f America and Australia. The multicultural and ethnically diverse adult orphan
participants in this study are illustrated in Table 1.1.
Table 1.1
Multicultural Groups
Participants Male Female
White/Caucasian American 3 2
Black/African American 2 1
Asian/American 1 0
Hispanic/Latino American 0 0
Alaskan/Native American 0 1
Pacific Islander/Hawaiian American 0 0
Aboriginal/Australi an 0 2
Personal Identity
According to Parfit (1971), personal identity is the unique numerical identity of
persons through time. Moreover, the necessary and sufficient conditions under which a
person at one time and a person at another time can be said to be the same person,
persisting through time. In the modem philosophy of mind, this concept of personal
identity is sometimes referred to as the diachronic problem of personal identity. The

16
synchronic problem is grounded in the question of what features or traits characterize a
given person at one time? (p. 7)
Personal identity may also refer to:
1. Identity (social science), an umbrella term used throughout the social sciences
for an individual's comprehension of him or herself as a discrete, separate
entity
2. Personally identifiable information, information that can be used to uniquely
identify, contact, or locate a single person
In the words o f Rosenwald and Ochberg (1992):
How individuals recount their histories - what they emphasize and omit,
their stance as protagonists or victims, the relationship the story
establishes between teller and audience - all shape what individuals can
claim as their own lives. Personal stories are not merely a way o f telling
someone (or oneself) about one’s life, they are the means by which
identities may be fashioned, (p. 1)
Sense o f Diversity
Diversity is the ability to recognize how to relate to those who are members of
different groups than one’s own group. These groups include race, class, gender, physical
abilities, and sex orientation in addition to religion, educational background, geographical
location, family income, and parent status (Ladson-Billing, 2001; LAS, 2004). Those
with a sense of diversity recognize that the individual as well as culture are valuable, and
no one is superior to another (Banks, 2004; Grant & Gomez, 2001; LAS definition of
diversity, 2004).
Adversity
General problems o f poverty, culture and heritage identity are major obstacles and
barriers of adversity as described by (Payne, 1996). Another important quality Macy

17
(2000) discussed was a desire for personal growth. Orphans found value in education
that boosted their self-esteem; success bred more success. For example a participant
claimed, “a lot of people look at their college degree as a piece of paper, but to me it is a
symbol of triumph over adversity, over many of the biggest challenges of my life”
(P-41).
Tactic Knowledge
Moustakas (1990) defined tactic knowledge as: “the deep structure that contains
the unique perceptions, feelings, intuition, beliefs, and judgments housed in the internal
frame o f reference o f a person that governs behavior and determines how we interpret
experience” (p. 32).
Strategy
Armstrong (1986) stated a strategy is sometimes called a roadmap which is the
path chosen to plow towards the end vision. The most important part of implementing the
strategy is ensuring the organization is going in the right direction, which is towards the
end vision. Strategy means to plan. It is a plan of action that you have mapped out on
how to proceed to the conclusion. A strategy is a plan of action designed to achieve a
particular goal (Armstrong, 1986 p. 183).
Components o f Motivation
Cherry (2013) posits there are three major components to motivation: activation,
persistence and intensity. Activation involves the decision to initiate a behavior, such as
enrolling in a psychology class. Persistence is the continued effort toward a goal even
though obstacles may exist, such as taking more psychology courses in order to earn a
degree although it requires a significant investment of time, energy and resources.
Finally, intensity can be seen in the concentration and vigor that goes into pursuing a
18
goal. For example, one student might coast by without much effort, while another student
will study regularly, participate in discussions and take advantage of research
opportunities outside o f class.
Extrinsic Vs. Intrinsic Motivation
Different types o f motivation are frequently described as being either extrinsic or
intrinsic. Extrinsic motivations are those that arise from outside of the individual and
often involve rewards such as trophies, money, social recognition or praise. Intrinsic
motivations are those that arise from within the individual, such as doing a complicated
crossword puzzle purely for the personal gratification of solving a problem, (p. 1)
Tenacity
Rodriguez (1989) stated tenacity is the ability to stick with something even when
the going gets tough. Never give up. Never surrender! Tenacity also means the quality,
or state of being. Tenacity is also the ability o f matter to overcome great strength or force.
For example: We are crossing a bridge then you are so heavy the bridge must have
tenacity to overcome the great mass o f force of the people crossing the bridge (p. 282).
Persistence
Persistence is the quality of continually and steadily being obstinate in a course of
action despite problems, difficulties or opposition. For example, long continuance of
something such as an effort after its causes has ceased or been removed (Merricks, 1999).
Perseverance
Perseverance means “Determination to follow through in action. Working hard
and not giving up!” Steadfastness in doing something despite difficulty or delay in
achieving gratification or success, continuance in a state of grace leading finally to a state
o f glory (Stanley, 1990).

19
Survival Skills
Glasser (2006) postulated that survival skills are skills one must possess in rising
above challenges that nature and mankind throw at you, beating the odds and managing
to live in situations in which others do not. “Survival suggests inner strength, skill and
resourcefulness, and maybe luck of divine intervention. Perseverance can play a big part
in survival too, because sometimes, what it takes most to survive is not giving up until
you have succeeded” (pp. 240-243).
Self-Concept
Self-concept is the combination of a person’s perceptions, thoughts, and feeling
regarding themselves (Marsh & Shavelson, 1985; Shavelson, Hubner, & Stanton, (1976).
In essence, self-concept, as a component of human personality development, has
its own nature and peculiarity. Shavelson et al. (1976) succinctly defined self-concept as:
A compendium of seven characteristics or fundamental aspects: self-

concept constitutes a psychological dimension; it is multidimensional; it
has a hierarchical organization (a general self-concept and specific self-
concepts); it is stable, but as we go lower on the hierarchy, self-concept
becomes more specific and more susceptible to change; the different facets
o f self-concept become more differentiated among themselves with age
and experience; self-concept includes both descriptive as well as
evaluative aspects, self-concepts can be differentiated from other
constructs which it is related to, such as academic performance, (p. 409)
Academic Self-Concept
According to Marsh & Martin (2011), Academic Self-Concept (ASC) refers to the
personal beliefs someone develops about their academic abilities or skills. A person's
ASC develops and evolves as they age. Some research suggests that ASC begins
developing in early childhood, from age three to five, due to parental/family and early
educators’ influences, while other research contends that ASC does not develop until age
seven or eight, when children begin evaluating their own academic abilities based on the
20
feedback they receive from parents, teachers and their peers. By age 10 or 11, children
view their academic abilities by comparing themselves to their peers. These social
comparisons are also referred to as self-estimates. Self-estimates are frequently utilized to
help one form an idea of oneself. Research shows that self-estimate of cognitive ability
were most accurate when numerical ability was estimated. Furthermore, research shows
that self-estimates were more likely to be poor in other areas of cognitive ability such as
reasoning speed that are considered less frequently.
Pajares (1996) defined adolescents’ perceptions of their ability to master
academic tasks as an accurate predictor o f their motivation and academic achievements.
Emotional Intelligence
Emotional intelligence (El) is the ability to identify, assess, and control the
emotions o f oneself, of others, and of groups. Goleman (1995) identified the five domains
o f Emotional Intelligence EQ (Emotional Quotient) as: (1) Knowing your emotions, (2)
Managing your own emotions, (3) Motivating yourself, (4) Recognizing and
understanding other people's emotions, and (5) Managing relationships, i.e., managing
the emotions of others (pp. 43-44).
Self-Management
According to Chow (1996), in business, education, and psychology, self
management refers to methods, skills, and strategies by which individuals can effectively
direct their own activities toward the achievement of objectives. These self-management
behaviors include goal setting, decision-making, focusing, planning, scheduling, task
tracking, self-evaluation, self-intervention and self-development.

21
Self-Regulated Learning
The term self-regulated (process of taking control of and evaluating one's own
learning and behavior) can be used to describe learning that is guided by metacognition
(thinking about one’s thinking), strategic action (planning, monitoring, and evaluating
personal progress against a standard), and motivation to learn (Butler & Winne, 1995;
Winne & Perry, 2000; Perry, Phillips, & Hutchinson, 2006; Zimmerman, 1990; Boekaerts
& Como, 2005).
Self-regulated learners are successful because they control their learning
environment. They exert this control by directing and regulating their own actions toward
their learning goals. Self- regulated learning should be used in three different phases of
learning. The first phase is during the initial learning, the second phase is when
troubleshooting a problem encountered during learning and the third phase is when one
tries to teach others (Palincsar & Brown, 1984).
Success
For the purpose of this study of ethnically diverse adult orphans, success was
determined by one’s economic independence. Moreover, the participants have to be
gainfully employed or successfully retired resulting in the support of one’s self and one’s
family. Participants are financially secure, and do not have to rely on donations from
others for income. The participants were considered to be successful by today’s
standards in as far as they achieved “The American Dream.” Secondly, participants had
high school educations, college degrees or advanced terminal degrees.
Career Success
Career success can be defined as the real or perceived achievements individuals
have accumulated as a result of their work experiences (Judge, Cable, Boudreau, & Bretz,
22
1995). Most research has divided career success into extrinsic and intrinsic components.
(Extrinsic success is relatively objective and observable and typically consists of highly
tangible outcomes such as pay and ascendancy (Jaskolka, Beyer, & Trice, 1985).
Conversely, intrinsic success is defined as individuals ‘subjective appraisal of
their success and is most commonly expressed in terms of job, career, or life satisfaction
(Gattiker & Larwood, 1988; Judge et al., 1995). Research confirms the idea that extrinsic
and intrinsic career success can be assessed as relatively independent outcomes, as they
are only moderately correlated (Judge & Bretz, 1994).
The three criteria most commonly used to index extrinsic career success are (a)
salary or income, (b) ascendancy or number of promotions, and (c) occupational status.
The last factor is perhaps the most intriguing. Occupational status can be viewed as a
reflection of societal perceptions of the power and authority afforded by the job (Blaikie,
1977; Schooler & Schoenbach, 1994).
Intrinsic career success is measured in several distinct ways. The most common
marker for intrinsic career success is a subjective rating of one’s satisfaction with one’s
career. Items that fit under the career satisfaction umbrella ask respondents to directly
indicate how they feel about their careers in general, whether they believe that they have
accomplished the things that they want to in their careers or if they believe that their
future prospects in their careers are good (e.g., Boudreau, Boswell, & Judge, 2001; Judge,
Higgins, Thoresen, & Barrick, 1999; Seibert & Kraimer, 2001).
Self-Efficacy
In 1977, Bandura hypothesized that a person’s sense of their efficacy determined
their coping behavior and degree of effort expended in adverse experiences. Higher self-
efficacy would initiate a longer lasting coping behavior and greater degree of effort to
23
afford successful outcomes. Bandura (1997) defines self-efficacy as “the beliefs in one’s
capabilities to organize and execute the courses of action required to produce given
attainments” (p. 3).
Students’ perception of their efficacy to learn and master academic activities is a
determining factor o f their aspirations, level of motivation, and academic
accomplishments (Bandura, 1993). Self-efficacy beliefs produce these diverse effects
through cognitive, motivational, affective, and selection processes. Bandura (1993)
describes the cognitive process as a belief that everyone has the ability to learn an activity
resulting in increased efficacy.
Professional Efficacy
Professional efficacy supports sustained high performance and prevents burnout.
Professional efficacy regards both the energy o f effort and efficiency o f work required for
achieving targeted outcomes. In environments where outcomes of outstanding quality are
the only acceptable results, fully engaged performance is essential. Professional efficacy
o f individuals and teams is enhanced through the development of (a) talents and skills of
the individual, (b) health and work-capability fitness, (c) organizational support, (d)
strategical preparation, (e) communication intelligence, and (f) transpersonal leadership
in team dynamics (Pajares, 1996).
Sense o f Purpose
Sense o f purpose included clarifying life goals; strong outlook on professional
life, meaningful commitments within his/her own interests, and established positive
relationships with others (Chickering, 1993).
Perceptions
A perception is the knowledge a person develops to become aware of other

24
people, events, ideas beliefs, and things that make up the world (Heider, 1958). This
knowledge results from information gathered by senses and combined to create mental
picture albums that “contain very specific pictures of what will satisfy a person’s needs”
(Glasser, 1984, p. 22). These needs are: to survive and reproduce, to belong (love, share,
and cooperate), to possess power, to experience freedom, and to experience fun (Glasser,
1984).
Teacher Influence
Adolescents create classroom perceptions around observed teacher behaviors that
occur in the classroom (Good & Brophy, 2003; Weinstein, 2002).
The influence of the classroom teacher on the student is often underestimated.
Although middle school teachers spend very little time with their students each day, it is
easy to misjudge the power that one’s teaching practices can have on the students
(Anderman & Midgley, 1998). During this time of adolescence, middle school students
are particularly sensitive to their surroundings and to the covert messages that they
frequently receive from their teacher (Weinstein, 2002). These messages are reflections
of the expectations teachers have developed about each student (Good & Brophy, 2003;
Good & Weinstein, 1986).
Teacher Expectations
Teacher expectations have an impact on the students, as teachers tend to control
the environment and possibly student outcomes by communicating their expectations of
the student to them (Cooper & Good, 1983). Teachers, without intent, communicate their
expectations surreptitiously to the student, and the student, knowingly or unknowingly,
responds or reacts to these messages (Cooper & Good, 1983; Good & Brophy, 2003;
Good & Weinstein, 1986). They use various ways to convey their expectations (Good &
25
Weinstein, 1986; Weinstein, 2002). According to Rosenthal (1989), teachers
communicate their expectations through effort behaviors and by creating an affective
environment. Students perceive these behaviors as differential treatment in the classroom
(Good & Weinstein, 1986; Weinstein, 2002). Weinstein (2002) claims that teacher
behaviors may result in “the differential allowance of educational experiences to different
groups o f children and that they may expand or constrain learning and performance
opportunities for all children” (p. 103). As a result, students who perceive negative
behaviors are likely to set lower goals and have lower academic self-efficacy that in turn,
may influence academic performance (Tyler & Boelter, 2008).
Trust
Social scientists have traditionally blamed school failure on external influences
where students are passive participants in the school environment (Domagala-Zysk,
2006). Domagala-Zysk (2006) claims, “the emphasis is on the fact of how children
perceive their educational situation, especially the quality of social support which is
available from the people around them” (p. 234). Teachers, who engage students and
develop a relationship with them, support their learning (Sadowski, 2008). Adolescents
are profoundly impacted by their relationships at school, i.e., coaches, teachers,
administrators, etc, when it is evident that the “student matters to the adult as much as the
adult matters to the student” (Sadowski, 2008). Nakkula and Toshalis (2006) found that
students would work hard for the teachers they liked and by whom they felt respected.
According to Wooten and McCroskey (1995), trust in the educational
environment is affected by the way the teacher communicates with the student in daily
interactions. If the student perceives that the teacher has the student’s best interest in
mind, then the level of trust is likely to increase (Wooten and McCroskey, 1995).
26
Gregory and Ripski (2008) found that trust is comprised of students’ perceptions of their
teachers’ use o f their power in the classroom and the students’ beliefs that they should
follow and respect their teachers’ requests.
Resilience
Resilience is the ability to thrive or bounce back from adverse experiences
(Rutter, 1987). Glicken (2006) states resilience is: (a) the ability to withstand and
rebound from disruptive challenges in life; the ability to thrive, nurture, and increase
one’s competence in the face of adverse circumstances; (b) the ability to “bounce back”
from adverse situations, to overcome the negative influences that often block
achievement; and (c) the capacity for successful adaptation, positive functioning or
competence in spite of high levels of risk, chronic stress, or prolonged or severe traumas
(p. 12).
Conceptual Rationale
This study focused on successful adult multicultural orphans who were not
adopted and who achieved a high level of success despite their lack o f familial nurturing.
The researcher studied the orphans’ adaptation to adversity, knowledge of heritage, self
management; self-regulated learning, emotional intelligence, coping strategies, tactic
knowledge, strategic thinking, mentors and role models, teacher student relationships,
trust of teachers, academic self-concept, self-efficacy and motivation.
The ability to thrive or bounce back from adverse experiences (Rutter, 1987)
seems to be a key adaptive strategy to adversity. Because the subjects’ lives were affected
by becoming orphans, they encountered some levels of deprivation and general problems
of poverty and identity as described by (Payne, 1996).
Another important quality Macy (2000) discussed was a desire for personal
27
growth. Orphans found value in education that boosted their self-esteem; success bred
more success. Macy reported that a college graduate felt that a college degree
represented triumph over adversity.
Glicken (2006) states that resilient people rebound from challenges, overcome
negative influences, and successfully adapt and select positive ways to function in the
face o f adversity and stress.
Orphans lack a sense o f heritage. Miller (2006) noted that an absence of a sense of
lineage and culture identity leaves a connection gap as far as belonging is concerned.
(Better Future International 2009)
Howard Handelman (2000) gives a definition of culture as a way of defining
ethnicity and knowledge of one’s lineage and heritage. Donald Rothchild and Victor
Olorunsola (1983) define cultural groups as: “They (ethnic cultural groups) generally
have (or believe themselves to have) a common history, traditions, beliefs, and values
that unite their members and distinguish them from other cultures” (as cited in
Handleman, p. 20).
Handelman goes on to state, “ethnicity (culture) requires a subjective group
consciousness that enables its members to establish mental boundaries between
themselves and others” (p. 49). Beyond one’s sense of self, a variety o f personal skills
and dispositions contribute to career success such as tactic knowledge and self
management. Heimler (2010) echoes Camevale, Meltzer, and Holland (1988) “who
described management skills in the context of personal management, including the ability
to assess self-accuracy, set personal goals, monitor progress, and exhibit self-control.”
(Heimler, p. 53)
Moustakas (1990) defines tactic knowledge as: “the deep structure that contains
28
the unique perceptions, feelings, intuitions, beliefs, and judgments housed in the internal
frame o f reference of a person that governs behavior and determines how we interpret
experience” (p. 32). Self-management means different things in different fields. In
business, education, and psychology, self-management refers to methods, skills, and
strategies by which individuals can effectively direct their own activities toward the
achievement of objectives. Self-management includes goal setting, decision-making,
focusing, planning, scheduling, task tracking, self-evaluation, self-intervention, and self
development.
“Self-regulated learning (SRL) as the three words imply, emphasizes autonomy
and control by the individual who monitors, directs, and regulates actions toward goals of
information acquisition, expanding expertise, and self-improvement” (Paris & Paris,
2001, p. 1). In particular, self-regulated learners are cognizant of their academic
strengths and weaknesses, and they have a repertoire of strategies they appropriately
apply to tackle the day-to-day challenges of academic tasks. These learners hold
incremental beliefs about intelligence (as opposed to entity, or fixed views of
intelligence) and attribute their successes or failures to factors (e.g., effort expended on a
task, effective use o f strategies) within their control (Dweck & Leggett, 1988; Dweck,
2002 ).
Self-regulated learners are successful because they control their learning
environment. They exert this control by directing and regulating their own actions toward
their learning goals. Self-regulated learning should be used in three different phases of
learning. The first phase is during the initial learning, the second phase is when
troubleshooting a problem encountered during learning and the third phase is when they
are trying to teach others (Palincsar & Brown, 1984).

29
Academic self-concept and achievement is an indicator of resiliency, and has long
been considered in many studies (Barbarin, 1993: Bowman & Howard, 1985) as
signifying resiliency among adolescents. Self-concept, as a component of human
personality development, has its own nature and peculiarity. Teachers influence students
in many ways both positive and negative (Dailey, 2012).
In education, students are more likely to internalize the information they receive
from others if a trusting relationship is established (Carnegie Council on Adolescent
Development, 1995; Gregory & Weinstein, 2008). Student trust in teacher authority has
received little attention in research (Tschannen-Moran & Hoy, 2000). Although
researchers have discussed the importance of trust between teachers and students (Bryk &
Schneider, 2002), studies are lacking in this area.
The importance o f interpersonal relationships with adults and teachers is an
element that has been explored in this study. Gregory and Ripski (2008) claim that an
approach that creates a relationship between student and teacher may earn students’
cooperation as they may view teachers as, “trustworthy and legitimate” authority figures.
“If students’ trust their teacher, they are more likely to turn to them for guidance in their
learning efforts and be accepting of the teacher’s influence attempts” (Wooten &
McCroskey, 1995, p. 94). Without trust, an orphan student’s energy focuses on self
protection and away from learning (Tschannen-Moran & Hoy, 2000).
Finally, orphan students who are self-regulated learners believe that opportunities
to take on challenging tasks, practice their learning, develop a deep understanding of
subject matter, and exert effort will give rise to academic success (Perry et al., 2006). In
part, these characteristics may help to explain why self-regulated learners usually exhibit
a high sense of self-efficacy (Pintrich & Schunk, 2002). In the educational psychology
30
literature, researchers have linked these characteristics to success in and beyond school
(Como, et al., 2002; Pintrich, 2000; Winne & Perry, 2000).
Goleman (1995) identified the five domains of Emotional Intelligence EQ
(Emotional Quotient) as: knowing your emotions; managing your emotions;
motivating yourself; recognizing and understanding others emotions; managing
relationships, i.e., managing the emotions of others (pp. 43-44).
Payne (1996) reported that orphans’ lives were affected by the absence of caring
parents and guardians, adversity and poverty, and they faced general problems of their
heritage and lineage identity. Orphan adolescents’ perceptions of their ability to master
academic tasks may predict more accurately their motivation and academic achievements
(Pajares, 1996).
Macy (2000) discussed the important quality of desire for personal growth.
Orphans found value in education that boosted their self-esteem. Edwards, et al. (2007)
examined (NGO) Non-Govemmental Organizations success in providing infant orphans
with nurturing and preschool enrichment programs in partnership with international,
national and provincial governments through a coherent blend of cultural practices in
curriculum and program operation. They reported that teachers and nannies would be
able within the time frames of their working day and week to develop strong and secure
enough relationships with these particular children to energize substantial catch up
learning and development on the part o f the children.
Adolescents often encounter obstacles during the learning process (Zimmerman &
Cleary, 2006). Those who have higher self-efficacy about being able to manage the task
under difficult circumstances are expected to have a higher probability of succeeding
(Zimmerman & Cleary, 2006). Miller (2006) stated from a social action perspective,
31
college students who have a deep knowledge of their cultural and familial heritage
achieve greater success in their studies than students who do not have a strong heritage
background.
This study o f successful multicultural adult orphans’ navigation through the
fourteen independent variables such as adaptation to adversity, knowledge of heritage,
self-concept, self-management, self-regulated learning, emotional intelligence, coping
strategies, tactic knowledge, strategic thinking, mentors and role models, teacher student
relationships, trust of teachers and academic self-efficacy and motivation adds to the
body of knowledge and research. The research will broaden the horizons of
governmental, non-governmental, provincial and other agencies seeking to nurture and
serve the needs of orphans and assist in guiding them into productive and responsible
citizens.
Therefore, this qualitative study was an initial investigation to describe and
understand why some multicultural adult orphans become successful. Additionally, this
study utilized a purposeful sampling of twelve multicultural adult orphans. The study
examines descriptions of their lives and contrasts male and female, Caucasian and
Ethnically Diverse orphans.
Significance of the Study
While studies in the area of successful orphans’ physical, psychological and social
emotional development, expectations and adolescent academic efficacy exist, there was a
deficit in studies that examine the factors that contributed to their successful navigation to
careers.
Leaders o f (NGO) non-governmental organizations, that address the needs of
orphans will benefit from the findings of this study. Teachers, social workers and child
32
psychologists will gain insight into the pathways that orphans select and the dispositions
they develop to achieve healthy and productive lives as well as career success.
Finally, orphan adults and adolescents may benefit from the findings in this study
and adopt certain patterns of behavior that will be related to their own successful lives
and careers.
participants’ lives and offered guidance to school personnel in the instruction and support
of orphans for life-long learning.
Limitations
This qualitative study was limited to a small purposeful sample of twelve
successful multicultural adult orphans who were not adopted. The participants consisted
of six males and six females; three Caucasian males and three Caucasian females; three
Ethnically Diverse males and three Ethnically Diverse females from the United States of
America and Australia.
Chapter Two provides the review o f the related literature.

CHAPTER II
REVIEW OF THE RESEARCH LITERATURE
Introduction
were not adopted, and their adaptations to adversity that enabled them to achieve highly
their sense o f emotional intelligence and their strategies to overcome the barriers they
encountered throughout their lives were investigated.
The research literature examined the orphans’ adaptation to adversity, knowledge
of heritage, self-management; self-regulated learning, emotional intelligence, coping
strategies, tactic knowledge, strategic thinking, mentors and role models, teacher student
relationships, and trust of teachers, academic self-efficacy and motivation.
Since orphans are not generally forthcoming with their stories, their failure to
self-disclose about their experiences helps to perpetuate peoples’ ignorance about the
social emotional aspects of life in and out of care (Cmiel, 1995; McKenzie, 1996).
“Orphans” who do not share their stories are complicit in helping perpetuate and keep
the mythic scripts (Gavin, 1984), romantic notions, and misconceptions about orphans
34
and orphanages.
The participants in this qualitative study consisted of six male and six female
successful, multicultural adult orphans. According to Patton (1987), purposeful
sampling can be done to increase the utility of information obtained from small samples.
Participants were chosen because they are self-sufficient adults, orphaned early in life,
and likely to be knowledgeable about the phenomenon of being a successful orphan,
able to provide insight needed to attain rich, qualitative data (Gay & Airasian, 2003).
The selection criteria were twofold: (1) subjects were considered to be successful,
in so far as they achieved gainful employment resulting in their ability to successfully
support themselves and their families, and are financially secure, without the support of
social welfare, and (2) participants became orphaned from birth to early childhood.
The participants of this study were guaranteed confidentiality. A mutually agreed
upon alias was chosen for each participant to protect their identities.
Because people have storied lives (Connelly & Clandinin, 1990), their lived
experiences are best told from their own perspectives, in their own words, and through
their own voices.
This study examined the emotional, physical, psychological, social, and
educational development of orphans from birth to adulthood, and the contribution the
educational system had in their development. This study investigated ethnically diverse
adult orphans, whose stories are not filtered through childhood experiences, but through
the mature eyes of educated adults. They are narrative details about what it was like to be
an orphan living in institutions, orphanages, and foster homes, as well as being a child of
the welfare system (Guess, 2008).

35
Orphan
According to The Oxford English Dictionary (1997), an orphan is: “To be without
parents, to be bereaved o f parent or parents.” There is no mention of age limits, Barkan-
Dahan (2009) states that one can be considered and referred to as an orphan regardless of
age.
Adult Orphan
For the purpose of this study, an adult orphan is a person who was abandoned by
one’s parent(s) in childhood or loss parents through death. Additionally, these adult
orphans were not adopted, and they did not have guardians or adoptive parents.
Parental Death
Sanders (1980) proposed the following: The death of a parent in adulthood can be
regarded as part of the natural order of universal dynamics. Therefore, there is apparently
little research devoted to the theoretical or empirical aspects of the death of a parent upon
the surviving adult child, (p. 322)
Sanders (1980) stated the reality that death is inevitable. Each one of us is
destined for orphan adulthood. Parental death is “expected” (Moss, Resch, & Moss,
1997, p. 44), and “common and usually anticipated” (Jordan & Ware, 1997, p. 362).
Angel’s (1987) in The Orphaned Adult-Confronting the Death of a Parent provides
a philosophical overview of the issues one faces surrounding the phenomenon of adult
orphan hood. He is in line with James Mann’s idea of the existential experience, arguing
that: “For the death of one’s parent cannot be seen merely as a private matter in the
experience of the family. On the contrary, the rhythm of the passing of the generations is
a characteristic feature of human existence” (1987, pp. 17-18).
In the postscript to her memoir Orphans: Real and Imaginary, Eileen Simpson
36
(1987) writes about learning as an adult that the convent boarding school of her
childhood, the Villa, was actually an orphanage. She was grateful for the deception,
because the truth would have been “a heavy burden to me as a child. “As an adult, it
would have interfered with my view of myself as having been lucky. An orphan who
goes to an orphanage is by far more orphaned than one who goes to a convent boarding
school” (Simpson, E., 1987, p. 11).
Weisman (1994) posits in her article, “When Parents Are Not in the Best Interests
o f the Child,” that life without parents is a difficult sentence to pronounce upon a child,
but it's happening more and more often. Baker (1994), chief psychologist at The
Children’s Village, states: “Sometimes children have gone beyond the opportunity to go
back and capture what needed to be done between the ages of three and eight” (p. 32).
Sometimes the thrust of intimacy that comes with family living is more than they can
handle. Sometimes the requirement of bonding is more than they have the emotional
equipment to give. As long as we keep pushing them back into what is our idealized
fantasy o f family, they’ll keep blowing it out of the water for us (Baker, p. 32).
In their book An Orphan Has Many Parents, Craft and Friedland (1998) recount their
formative years of growing up in an orphanage. Both authors offer views of their lives
that are poignant, colorful, and gripping. They pay tribute to the caring parent figures
they encountered and the reader gets to meet these people via their own compelling first
hand accounts o f their experiences.
The orphanage itself receives an ample share of the spotlight. The individuals
who made it work, plus the colorful cast of orphans who lived there, are provided in rich
detail. Readers will be touched by the profound impact of this “Home” on the lives of its
residents and will feel compelled to re-examine their views of orphanages in general.
37
This book is not only an inspiring human interest story, but it also breaks new ground in
the study of orphans and orphanages.
In Pearson’s (1998) book The Hero Within-Six Archetypes We Live By, Pearson
discusses the effects of being an orphan, and defines the six heroic archetypes that exist
in all o f us: the Innocent, the Orphan, the Wanderer, the Warrior, the Martyr, and the
Magician. An Orphan’s fear of powerlessness and abandonment is so profound that it
usually is not experienced directly. The more apparent emotion is anger either turned
inward in a belief that it is our own fault, or else outward toward God, the universe,
parents, and institutions - anything or anyone that can identified as not properly taking
care o f them (Pearson, 1989, p. 29).
Barkan-Dahan (2009) found little support for the adult living through the death of
a parent. Perhaps it is thought by western society that once a person reaches adulthood,
losing a parent is a fact of life that does not necessarily warrant special attention. Since,
there is a core understanding that at some point we will all lose our parents, the person
who is mourning is expected to go through this period and get back to life as if nothing
significant had transpired.
For the orphan and the adult orphan, the loss of natural parents and the subsequent
adjustments that the individual makes has not been explored substantially.
History o f Orphanages
Jacobi (2009) posits that micro-historical investigation into orphanages in various
European countries between 1550 and 1750 offers strong evidence that our view of
orphans and orphanages are shaped by 19th Century notions of poverty and indigent
children. In the 20th and 21st centuries, we made tremendous progress in finding more
suitable placements for orphans such as foster homes, boarding schools, and group
38
homes.
According to Weisman (1994), the first orphan asylum in the United States was
established in 1729 by Ursuline nuns, who cared for children orphaned by an Indian
massacre at Natchez, Mississippi. Thereafter, the number of orphanages increased in
response to wars, especially the Civil War, and to epidemics of tuberculosis, cholera,
yellow fever, and influenza. Contemporary epidemics such as AIDS, the resurgence of
tuberculosis, and the rampant use of crack cocaine have the potential to create another
orphan crisis in the 21st Century (Weisman, 1994).
Weisman (1994) states that in spite of the Dickensian reputation that outlives
them, orphanages, which began to proliferate in this country in the mid-1800s,
represented a significant social reform for their time, just as the group homes and
residential treatment centers that took their place are seen as reforms in the 20th Century.
Before orphan asylums were common, orphaned, homeless, and neglected children, if
they were not living, stealing, and begging on the streets, were housed, along with adults,
primarily in almshouses, but also in workhouses and jails.
The Victorian conviction that childhood was a time of innocence influenced
attitudes toward destitute children. People came to believe that even street urchins could
be rescued-removed to a better environment and turned into productive citizens
(Weisman, 1994, pp. 3-4).
Weisman’s (1994) article, “When Parents Are Not in the Best Interests of the
Child” reported that most orphanages were private institutions, the result of the combined
efforts of passionately committed “child savers,” children's-aid societies, and a variety of
mostly religious but also ethnic organizations that raised the money to build and maintain
them. But even as the orphanage was becoming the nation's dominant mode of substitute
39
child care, an anti-institutional effort called “placing out” was under way, setting the
stage for a debate that continues to the 21st Century.
By the mid-1800s, children were being transported on “orphan trains” from
crowded eastern slums and institutions, to the West where they were adopted by farm
|L
families in need of extra hands. By the late 19 Century, in a further move away from
institutionalization, cottage-style “homes,” which more closely mimicked family life and
each o f which housed about 25 children, began to take the place o f large orphanages
(Weisman, 1994).
In the 20th Century, psychoanalytic theories and then behaviorism dominated the
field o f child welfare. Unlike psychoanalytic theories, which focus on the child’s inner
personality, behaviorism emphasizes the way the child interacts with his world. In this
view a child is not “bad”; his unacceptable behavior is and by changing the behavior so
the thinking goes, one changes the child. Behavioral theories replaced psychoanalytic
theories, which were used to limited effect by Bruno Bettelheim and others in the
“homes” and “schools” for emotionally disturbed children, which appeared mid-century
(Weisman, 1994).
Trieschman, Whittaker, and Brendtro (1969,1986) suggest the goal of residential
treatment is to create a “therapeutic milieu,” an environment in which every day events
are turned to therapeutic use. Any activity in a child’s day, from refusing to get dressed in
the morning to answering a question correctly at school to picking a fight, offers the
child-care worker an opportunity to teach, change, or reinforce behavior through
therapeutic intervention. Residential treatment aims to seize the moment while it is
happening and the child’s feelings are still fresh.
Andrea Warren’s (2001) book We Rode the Orphan Trains stated that beginning in
40
1854, for 76 years, thousands of homeless, neglected poor children from New York City
were moved west to rural towns and farm communities. They traveled by rail. Families
took them into their homes. Some became foster children or were adopted into a family.
Others lived as boarders, apprentices, or live-in laborers. Some found good homes; others
found a new life of indentured service or even abuse. Some loved and were loved in their
new homes. Others ran away or moved on to another family.
From 1854 to 1929, orphan trains from New York “placed out” 150,000 to
200,000 destitute children, mainly to homes in the farming communities of the Midwest.
Some o f these children, young infants to age 15, were orphans. Many were homeless
street kids, and others were given-up by parents unable to provide for their well-being.
Some had been abandoned by their families, were runaways, or had been removed from
abusive homes. Children on the orphan trains came from the street gangs and orphan
asylums o f the city (Warren, 2001).
During the orphan train trips, children were accompanied by placing agents. The
trains stopped in scheduled locations. Children usually lined up in front of prospective
takers on a platform or at a meeting hall. They were encouraged to look and act their best.
Inspection sometimes involved poking and prodding; an attempt to ascertain their value
as workers on farms or in local shops and businesses. Children that were not selected
returned to the train to travel on to another stop.
As creators of the Orphans Trains website, Lamb and Johnson (2002) cited:
Two main institutions in New York City were involved in the mass
"migration" of children: The Children's Aid Society and The New York
Foundling Hospital. Both are operating today, still involved with aiding in
child welfare. The Children's Aid Society, founded and directed by
Charles Loring Brace, began the orphan trains as a way to "save" poor
street children by placing them with families. The idea was that families
would provide the children food, clothing, and a living space in return for
41
their help on the farms. It was hoped that the children would become an
integral part o f the families, that they would be adopted. When it actually
worked that way, it was usually great. Children grew up, married, raised
families, and contributed to the growing nation. Two orphan train boys
went on to become governors of South Dakota and Alaska. Others were
teachers, business people, legislators, and community leaders. Many
children were placed in situations that didn't work. Unfortunately, some of
these foster families were abusive and exploitive. Children sometimes
moved from family to family, until they finally were on their own. And
some of the children were difficult, incorrigible, and delinquent. Billy the
Kid was an orphan train child, (http://www.42explore2.com/orphan.htm
pp. 1-2)
Starting in 1875 with the “Act to provide for the Better Care of Pauper and
Destitute Children,” and again in 1899 with the “Act to Regulate the Treatment and
Control o f Dependent, Neglected, and Delinquent Children,” conditions for orphan
children only gradually improved (Axinn & Stem, 2001). Axinn and Stem explain how
between 1875 and 1967, children were sent to adult facilities such as prisons, work
centers, county jails, and city jails. Many were placed into newly formed foster care
programs, and many were sent to orphanages, state institutions for youth (run by the same
boards as state prison), and mental hospitals (Axinn & Stem). These children were rarely
adopted because of public belief that they had an inherent nature to be paupers and
delinquents. In the foster care system, expectations were low and cautious. These
children were believed to need a firm hand with strict oversight and instruction (Axinn &
Stem, 2001).
By the late 1950s, a “Third Force” was beginning to form. In 1957 and 1958, at
the invitation o f Abraham Maslow and Clark Moustakas, two meetings were held in
Detroit among psychologists who were interested in establishing a professional
association dedicated to a more humanistic vision especially for orphans. They
discussed several themes such as self, self-actualization, health, safety, creativity,

42
intrinsic nature, being, becoming, individuality, and meaning, all of which they believed
were likely to become central concerns of adolescent psychology.
In 1961, with the sponsorship of Brandeis University, this movement was
formally launched as the American Association for Humanistic Psychology. The first
issue o f the Journal of Humanistic Psychology appeared in the spring o f 1961.
Winski (1998) observed that history is the filter through which generations of the
future see past generations, it is also the filter through which people see themselves.
People’s personal histories are made significant by the lens through which they, as well
as others, view their past and evaluate their experiences. Winski believed that when
people looked back at their history, they were more introspective and circumspect and
they saw things differently, hopefully clearer and more objectively.
Institutionalization and Orphanages
Institutionalization is a process, which translates an organization's code of
conduct, mission, policies, vision, and strategic plans into action guidelines applicable to
the daily activities of its officers and other employees. It aims at integrating fundamental
values and objectives into the organization's culture and structure. Institutions are
established as normal; having become an established custom or an accepted part of the
structure o f a large organization or society because of having existed for so long (Axinn
& Stem, 2001).
According to Axinn and Stem (2001), an orphanage is an institution devoted to
the care o f children whose parents are deceased or otherwise unable to care for them.
Parents, and sometimes grandparents, are legally responsible for supporting children, but
in the absence o f these or other relatives willing to care for the children, they become a
ward of the state, and orphanages are a way of providing for their care and housing.
43
Foster care and more extensive adoption programs have been the preferred practice in
many developed nations. However, there will always be a situation where there is a
shortage of foster parents and orphanages will provide care for children. An orphanage is
home for orphans: a home or other institutional setting for orphans often operated by a
local government or charitable organization.
Foster Care System
Foster care is the term used for a system in which a minor who has been made a
ward of the state is placed in the private home of a state, certified caregiver referred to as
a “foster parent.” The state, by means of family court and the child protection agency
stand in loco parentis to the minor, making all legal decisions while the foster parent is
responsible for the day-to-day care of said minor. The foster parent is remunerated by the
state for services. Foster care is intended to be a short-term situation until a permanent
placement can be made such as: reunification with the biological parent(s) or a biological
family member. Another preference would be adoption by an aunt/uncle, grandparent or
another appropriate adult.
If none o f these options are viable the plan for the minor may provide for Other
Planned Permanent Living Arrangement (OPPLA). This option allows the child to stay in
custody o f the state and the child can be placed in a foster home, or a long term care
facility, or with a relative, or an agency (for children with development disabilities,
physical disabilities or mental disabilities).
Orphan Development
Infancy and Childhood Development
challenge in their history, their physical, psychological, social emotional and personal
44
identity development. One must understand one’s whole journey from orphan hood to
current prominent status in life to build a contextualized personal story (Banks, 2001).
Dr. Alan Schore (2003), a neuroscientist at UCLA, says that after infancy a child
has determined whether or not the world is safe and whether he/she is good or bad. The
children he saw had terror so wired into their brains that getting them to trust a new
parent or anyone else was next to impossible. Schore (2003) also says that neglect is
worse than abuse, that if an infant is neglected he is most wired to believe he is worthless.
“Turning these early belief patterns around is not impossible, but it is far more difficult
than most would believe” (Schore, p. 8).
Oswalt (2008) depicts child development as a progression through four stages.
The four stages of child development according to Oswalt are: 1) Infancy (covering birth
to age two), 2) Early Childhood (covering age two to seven), 3) Middle Childhood
(covering ages seven to eleven), and 4) Adolescence (covering age 11 to 22). Oswalt
explained the infancy stage o f development is when babies are in the infancy stage, they
are changing from being totally dependent on caregivers to learning to walk, talk, and
play alongside others, and are realizing their individual selves. When children enter early
childhood, they continue to improve their large and small motor skills as they run and
move more smoothly. They also grow mentally and socially as they enter school and
other places where they interact with children. During middle childhood, children
continue to grow and improve physically, while also growing mentally as they attend
school. They maintain friendships in large same-sex groups and begin forming ideas
about gender roles and jobs. During adolescence, people go through puberty as their
bodies mature and become capable to reproduce. Teens attempt to assert their individual
45
identity while still needing rules and limits to continue to help them make good life
decisions (Oswalt, 2008, pp. 1-3).
Young adolescents experience a stage of rapid cognitive, emotional, physical and
social growth (Bandura, 1997, 2006; Carnegie Council on Adolescent Development,
1995; Domagala-Zysk, 2006; Pearson, 2008; Sadowski, 2008; Schunk & Meece, 2005;
Wigfield et al., 1991). To help understand and cope with this period, adolescents
experiment with behavior as well as with questions to help construct meaning about their
surroundings Nakkula and Toshalis, (2006).
Nakkula and Toshalis (2006) believe that the “core meaning of adolescent
development lies fundamentally in the interpretations adolescents make of themselves
and their world” (p. 47). Their interpretations of their place in the world impact their
experiences in school as they create meaning and select behaviors that influence their
academic future (Nakkula & Toshalis, 2006; Sadowski, 2008). Isaac (2008) addressed
the importance of the adult orphaned in adulthood population to clarify the major
differences between orphans and adult orphans.
Barkan-Dahan, (2009) defined the terms orphan and adult orphan, and discussed
attachment and mourning in connection with the adult. Her study explored adults who
lost both parents during their adulthood. Barkan-Dahan’s position is that one becomes an
orphan on losing both parents at any age; however, she states that losing one’s parents in
adulthood connects directly to our childhood. In bereavement one is drawn to memories
and by doing so they are re-visiting their childhood and re-examining and analyzing the
occurrences that are in conflict with their present state of mourning.
According to Barkan-Dahan (2009), the literature available relating to the subject
of the orphan deals primarily with the concept of the child who has been orphaned by the
46
death of both parents, as well as how society deals with the child, what care should be
provided for the child and what steps should be taken in aiding the child after sustaining
such a loss.
A study by the Ontario Department of Industry and Commerce in which 50
successful businesswomen were interviewed and they identified two main personal
qualities of highly successful people: determination and hard work (Mayer, 2002).
Mayer observes that both these qualities seemed to be absent while the at-risk orphan
student was in school, yet present once the orphan was out in the working world.
McKenzie’s (2003) “The Impact of Orphanages on the Alumni ’s lives and
assessments o f their Childhood,” investigated the influence of five private and state
orphanages in the South and Midwest in the United States on the lives o f 800 of their
alumni. Findings revealed that the alumni overwhelmingly provided favorable accounts
o f their orphanages experiences and compared with age counterparts in the general
population reported superior outcomes on a majority of social and economic measures.
Isaac (2008) discussed how the abandoned child embodied the most desperate of
lived expressions o f the orphaned archetype, condemned because of basic
unmetphysiological and socio-emotional needs for mothers’ warmth and gaze to search
unceasingly to satisfy these needs.
Jacobi’s (2009) “Between Charity and Education: Orphans and Orphanages in
Early Modem Times,” states orphans have been children who could not expect sufficient
support from their family because o f lack of at least one parent, in most cases the father.
Adolescence and Belonging
According to Eccles and Midgley (1989), the Carnegie Council on Adolescent
Development (1989) stated that childhood development from birth to adolescent is a

Al
tumultuous time in anyone’s home and in school. For adolescent orphans, this period
poses many more challenges to their self-concept and sense of efficacy. Self-efficacy
influences choice o f behavioral activities, effort expenditure, persistence in the face of
obstacles and task performance (Bandura, 1987). The Carnegie Council on Adolescent
Development indicated that adolescents have displayed a decrease in academic
motivation and achievement during this period of development.
Wigfield and Ecccles (1991) argue that the changes in the school environment
may be the reason that adolescents experience a decline during this time. However,
Eccles (1991) stated that these environments do not match the needs or provide the
appropriate education for young adolescents. According to Wigfield (1991), adolescent
orphans experience a change in motivation and achievement as well as behavior as they
move into middle school. In addition, Eccles’ (1993) findings reported that orphan
adolescents experience changes in motivation and achievement as well as behavior when
they make the transition from elementary school to middle school due to environmental
and nurturing factors.
According to the Carnegie Council on Adolescent Development (1995), in order
for adolescents needs to be met in the school setting, students must feel valued in their
environment. The Carnegie Council on Adolescent Development (1995) stated that
schools can provide adolescents with opportunities to develop their intellectual
capabilities, help them experience a sense of competence and belonging, as well as
promote positive interactions with supportive adults.
Bandura (1997) found that the amount of effort a student expended on a task was
related to a student’s efficacy and a sense of achievement on the task. Performance on a
task always occurs in contexts that include a host of factors that may hinder or facilitate
48
success. Bandura’s findings indicated that adolescence is a tumultuous time for students,
affecting them emotionally, cognitively, physically and socially. Bandura (1997) claims
that the changes adolescents experience are a result of personal, behavioral and
environmental influences that affect their self-efficacy. Others say that the changes that
occur in the adolescent may be a result of pubertal development coinciding with school
transition. Although these changes are not extreme for most adolescents, there is
evidence o f a gradual decline in motivation and school performance. Anderman and
Midgley (1998) indicated that unfortunately, when adolescents are in need of a sense of
belonging and nurturing, middle schools are unprepared to provide this for them.
Craft and Freidland (1998) stated, “Parents expect their Junior High School kids
to show levels of maturity they are incapable o f showing” (p.60).
Harevan (2000) studied change in families over generations as impacted by social,
political and economic forces. “Particularly significant is the convergence of
socioeconomic and culture forces, which are characteristic of specific time periods and
which influence directly the timing o f live transitions and perceptions of the life course”
(p. 155). As for adolescent orphans, the middle childhood development stage is a
difficult time in school and in most o f their educational endeavors as compared to their
counterparts. Adolescents create perceptions around observed teacher behaviors that
occur in and out of the classroom (Weinstein, 2002; Good & Brophy, 2003).
Furthermore, Cooper and Good (2003) posit that education is of utmost
importance in the early years o f an orphan’s life because of the structure that comes from
the educational institution of learning based upon the following themes: teacher
expectation, academic achievement, self-efficacy and trust. Zimmerman and Cleary
(2006) reported that adolescents often encounter obstacles during the learning process
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and those who have higher self-efficacy about being able to manage the task under
difficult circumstances are expected to have a higher probability o f succeeding even if
their peers have a comparable skill level. Zimmerman and Cleary (2006) concluded that
during this stage of development, students also experienced pressures in school related to
academic achievement.
According to Ma (2007), in order for adolescents needs to be met in the school
setting, students must feel valued in their environment. Student perceptions of teacher
support and mutual respect are related to motivation and engagement in the classroom.
O’Connell and Schmakel (2008) found that when students perceive positive teacher
support and mutual respect in the classroom they have higher motivation and
engagement.
Karp (2010) echoes the importance o f teachers influence on the students’
achievement in the school setting and states that adolescents experience growth in all
aspects o f their emotional and cognitive life, which impacts their daily lives, especially
academics. Teachers who take the time to have personal knowledge of their students’
lives have a more profound influence over their learning accomplishments.
Knowledge of Heritage
Miller’s (2006) study o f successful first generation college students stated from a
social action perspective, college students who have a deep knowledge of their cultural
and familial heritage achieve greater success in their studies than students who do not
have a strong heritage background. The strong desire of their family heritage and culture
among the successful first generation college students were the support and
encouragement they received from knowing their sense of identity and pride from the
educational institutions and familial members. Miller’s study concluded that the
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association o f family history, knowledge of heritage and cultural change matched to a
strong will to persist were the motivating factors that led to the success among the
undergraduate low-income first generation college students.
Nakkula and Toshalis (2006) wrote that, “the core meaning of adolescent
development lies fundamentally in the interpretations adolescents make o f themselves
and their world” (p. 47). Their interpretations impact their experiences in school as they
create meaning and select behaviors that influence their academic future. Nakkula and
Toshalis concluded that adolescent research and theory have tremendous potential to
inform the work of high school teachers, counselors, and administrators. Nakkula and
Toshalis explored how factors such as social class, peer and adult relationships, gender
norms, and the media helped to shape adolescents sense of themselves and their future
expectations and aspirations.
Better Future International (2009) stated, “research shows that kinship, or “family
care,” results in better social, emotional, educational, and health outcomes for child
wellbeing than institutional care. Unlike orphanages or other institutions, the family
environment strengthens social and emotional networks by connecting the child to
family, friends, neighbors, and the community. These relationships are conduits for the
intergenerational transmission of knowledge and culture, which are essential for the
successful transition into independent living as an adult.
Orphans placed in family care are able to maintain their linguistic, cultural,
religious, and family traditions. The family setting offers more security and stability for
the child, is cost effective and requires less government intervention. “Using a family
care model, Better Future International (2009) supports orphans living in family settings,
with aunts, uncles, grandparents, or other suitable guardians. By strengthening the entire
51
family structure these children can not only survive, but thrive.” (p. 1).
Landy (1996) states that in a discipline that is concerned primarily with non
observable phenomena, such as insight, feeling and creative processes, empirical
behavior research should be tempered with more qualitative approaches, using more
clinically and esthetically verifiable methods.
Oral narratives are also analytically driven and follow a tradition of critical
analysis of marginalized voices Reyes (1996). Through oral narratives, participants talk
about events in their lives in the form of stories (Merriam, 2002).
Since everyone faces adversities sometimes in their lives, though not necessarily
through-out of-home care in a children’s home or orphanage, “everyone can learn from
listening to the stories o f other people who have reflected on the what and the how of
their successful negotiation of life’s challenges” (Willoughby et al., 2003, p. 90). By
telling their stories, the orphans can invite readers to share their experiences and give
readers some insight into their world. Freire (2002) stated that, “people often identify
with representations that help deepen their understanding of themselves” (p. 23).
The self-reported life stories of the participants in this study should reveal some
o f the ways that they successfully negotiated life’s challenges. In addition, the interview
protocol designed for the study will probe specific factors that the research literature
associates with adult success such as tactic knowledge, strategic thinking, self
management, efficacy, trust and interpersonal relationships and mentors.
Tactic Knowledge
This study will employ a heuristic methodology informed by the pioneering work
of Clark Moustakas (1990). The term “heuristics,” originates from the Greek word
“heuriskein” which means; to find out or to discover. Douglas and Moustakas (1995)
52
explain that a heuristic research is guided by a: “Search for the discovery of meaning and
essence in significant human experience. It requires a subjective process of reflecting,
sifting, and elucidating the nature of the phenomenon under investigation. Its ultimate
purpose is to cast light on a focused problem,question or theme” (p. 40).
In Moustakas’ clarification, there is an implication that intuition instead of formal
techniques determines the steps taken at each stage of a heuristic approach to subjects. To
that end, in therapy, once the process begins it is a process where one explores and
discovers new ways o f expressing; clarifying what has been evoked in the emotional
inner world of the human experience. It is the concern with meaning and experience as
well as the encouragement o f connectedness and relationship that are essential for the
therapist and therefore essential in this research. Moustakas (1990) states the heuristic
approach deals with a question or a problem within the subject. In heuristic research the
personal question or problem connected to self- understanding is rooted in tactic
knowledge.
Moustakas (1990) defines tactic knowledge as: “the deep structure that contains
the unique perceptions, feelings, intuitions, beliefs, and judgments housed in the internal
frame of reference of a person that governs behavior and determines how we interpret
Mentors and Role Models
Mentoring from the Greek word meaning enduring is defined as a sustained
relationship between a youth and an adult. Through continued involvement, the adult
offers support, guidance, and assistance as the younger person goes through a difficult
period, faces new challenges, or works to correct earlier problems. In particular, where
parents are either unavailable or unable to provide responsible guidance for their
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children, mentors can play a critical role.
The two types of mentoring are natural mentoring and planned mentoring. Natural
mentoring occurs through friendship, collegiality, teaching, coaching, and counseling. In
contrast, planned mentoring occurs through structured programs in which mentors and
participants are selected and matched through formal processes. The number of
mentoring programs has grown dramatically in recent years (Petersmeyer, 1989, pp. 5-
25).
This popularity results in part from compelling testimonials by people-youth and
adults alike-who have themselves benefited from the positive influence of an older person
who helped them endure social, academic, career, or personal crises.
Mentoring programs are established to match a suitable adult or older youth-the
mentor-with a younger person. Potential mentors are recruited from various sources
including corporate, professional, and religious communities, as well as neighborhood
citizens. Nominations for mentors are sought formally and informally through flyers,
posters, mailings, and word-of-mouth. Appropriately matching mentors with youths is at
the heart of all programs. Matching can be done formally and informally through
interviews, personal profiles, comparative interest inventories, and get-acquainted
sessions. In programs where mentors and youths are given a chance to choose each other,
planned mentoring takes on many aspects of natural mentoring (Petersmeyer, 1989, p. 5).
Dannenfelser (2003) studied highly successful adults who left high school before
graduating. She identified several common factors that the participants claimed
contributed to their success as: a strong work ethic, a belief in their ability to become
successful, mentors who entered their lives and informally taught them the skills they
needed to be successful in the working world; and who provided them with the
54
encouragement they needed to continue advancing in their careers.
The term role model generally means any “person who serves as an example,
whose behavior is emulated by others” (p. 507). The term first appeared in Robert K.
Merton's socialization research of medical students. Merton (2004) hypothesized that
individuals compare themselves with reference groups of people who occupy the social
role to which the individual aspires.
Adversity
General problems o f poverty, culture and heritage identity are major obstacles and
barriers o f adversity as described by (Payne, 1996). Another important quality Macy
(2000) discussed was a desire for personal growth. Orphans found value in education
that boosted their self-esteem; success bred more success. A student claimed, “a lot of
people look at their college degree as a piece of paper, but to me it is a symbol of
triumph over adversity, over many of the biggest challenges of my life” (p. 41).
Adversity means misfortune, suffering, grief, sorrow, anguish, hard times, etc.
Adversity can also mean trial, tribulation and affliction as: A state of distress, hardship,
misfortune, unfortunate incident or calamitous event.
Adaptation to Adversity
Adaptation to adversity is the ability to thrive or bounce back from adverse
experiences (Rutter, 1987). The subjects’ lives were affected by orphanhood and poverty
and they faced general problems of poverty and identity as described by (Payne, 1996).
Another important quality Macy (2000) discussed was a desire for personal growth.
Orphans found value in education that boosted their self-esteem; success bred more
success. A student claimed, “a lot of people look at their college degree as a piece of
paper, but to me it is a symbol of triumph over adversity, over many of the biggest
55
challenges of my life” (p. 41).
“The main difference between people who succeed and people who fail is how
they handle adversity. Success will depend primarily on determination to persist.”
(Landis, 1988, p. 13)
Self-Concept
about themselves (Marsh & Shavelson, 1985; Shavelson, Hubner, & Stanton, 1976).
Until Shavelson et al. (1976) called for a more unified definition of self-concept; there
was little agreement on its structure or components and the definition varied widely by
study. Shavelson et al. did a meta-analysis including studies based on the five most
commonly used self-concept measures at that time in order to develop a cohesive
definition of self-concept. They used common elements of the pre-existing definitions to
form one model o f self-concept that could then be validated. Based on this work, self-
concept was narrowed to the individual’s evaluation of their worth rather than including
outside observers’ evaluations.
Shavelson et al. (1976) proposed seven key features that defined self-concept.
Self-concept was defined as both descriptive and evaluative in nature. In addition to self-
concept being a description of the self, it also inherently includes an evaluation (i.e.,
positive or negative value) o f those descriptions. They believed that self-concept was
multidimensional rather than un-dimensional in nature. That is, in addition to a global
self-concept (e.g., “I like m yself’), they proposed that there were specific domains of
self-concept (e.g., “I am good at math”) that could be measured. The basic organization
was proposed to be hierarchy with global self-concept at the apex that could be broken
down into an academic and non-academic self-concept. Shavelson et al. further

56
conjectured that academic and non-academic self-concept could be further broken down
into more specific domains (e.g., school subjects and peer relations). In analyzing the
studies, Shavelson et al. noted that higher agreement was achieved between self-reported
self-concept and inferred self-concept (i.e., a parent or teacher reporting on the self-
concept of a child), when reporting on a global self-concept than when reporting on
domain specific concept. That is, a student report and a teacher report about the same
student are more likely to be similar at the level of global self-concept than at academic
self-concept (pp. 407- 408).
A compendium o f seven characteristics or fundamental aspects: self-

of self-concept become more differentiated among themselves with age
Several authors (Shavelson et al., 1976; as cited in Garma & Elexpuru, 1999)
have tried to specify the nature of the term self-concept and experience.
Pajares (1996) stated adolescents’ perceptions of their ability to master academic
tasks may predict more accurately their motivation and academic achievements.
Self-Esteem
Hewitt (2009) purported Self-esteem is a term used in psychology to reflect a
person's overall emotional evaluation of his or her own worth. It is a judgment of oneself
as well as an attitude toward the self. Self-esteem encompasses beliefs (for example, “I
57
am competent,” “I am worthy") and emotions such as triumph, despair, pride and shame
(p. 217).
Smith and Mackie (2007) defined self-esteem as: “The self-concept is what we
think about the self; self-esteem is the positive or negative evaluations of the self, as in
how we feel about it.” (p 107). Self-esteem is also known as the evaluative dimension of
the self that includes feelings of worthiness, pride and discouragement. One's self-esteem
is also closely associated with self-consciousness.
Self-esteem is a disposition that a person has which represents their judgments of
their own worthiness. In the mid-1960s, Morris Rosenberg and social-learning theorists
defined self-esteem as a personal worth or worthiness. In 1969, Nathaniel Branden
idefined self-esteem as: “the experience of being competent to cope with the basic
challenges of life and being worthy of happiness.” According to Branden, self-esteem is
the sum of self-confidence (a feeling of personal capacity) and self-respect (a feeling of
personal worth). It exists as a consequence of the implicit judgment that every person has
of their ability to face life's challenges, to understand and solve problems, and their right
to achieve happiness, and be given respect.
As a social psychological construct, self-esteem is attractive because researchers
have conceptualized it as an influential predictor o f relevant outcomes, such as academic
achievement (Marsh 1990) or exercise behavior (Hagger et al., 1998). In addition, self
esteem has also been treated as an important outcome due to its close relation with
psychological well-being (Marsh 1989). Self-esteem can apply specifically to a particular
dimension, i.e., “I believe I am a good writer and I feel happy about that,” or a global
extent, i.e., “I believe I am a bad person, and feel bad about myself in general.”
Psychologists usually regard self-esteem as an enduring personality characteristic (“trait”

58
self-esteem), though normal, short-term variations (“state” self-esteem) also exist.
Synonyms or near-synonyms of self-esteem include: self-worth, self-regard, self-respect,
and self-integrity (pp. 218-224).
Efficacy
Students with high efficacy are likely to look for impeding situational factors,
insufficient effort or poor strategies as likely causes for poor performance (Bandura,
1997). When people look at lack of effort as the cause for failure, their efficacy is raised
due to the change that may occur when they employ a different behavior (Anderson &
Jennings, 1980). According to Bandura (1997), achievement is partly determined by how
hard one works at a given task. Therefore, the amount of effort expended affects a
person’s capability on his actual performance (Bandura, 1997; Pinrich & DeGroot, 1990).
Zimmerman and Cleary (2006) found that as students’ confidence in learning material
increased, so did their mental effort to complete the task. Bandura (1997) states, “people
who are persuaded verbally to possess the capabilities to master given tasks are likely to
mobilize greater effort and sustain it than if they harbor self-doubts and dwell on personal
deficiencies when difficulties arise” (p. 101).
As adolescents become more skilled at integrating conflicting information and
expectations, they form more accurate views of their capabilities (Bandura, 1997; Schunk
& Meece, 2005). These views or beliefs are shaped by their own personal experiences or
influence from others (Bandura, 1997; Pearson, 2008). Adolescents use a cognitive
approach when making decisions about their skills/knowledge to succeed on a task
(Bandura, 1997). They use previous experiences and success or lack of success in a
particular area to create their beliefs about whether they will experience success
(Bandura, 1982, 1997). Self-efficacy has been given ample attention in educational
59
research where it has been shown to predict students’ academic achievement (Alfassi,
2003; Long et al., 2007; Multon et al., 1991; Roeser et al., 1996; Seyfried, 1998; Usher &
Pajares, 2008).
Sources o f Efficacy
Self-efficacy is a psychological concept, which means a person's belief in his or
her own abilities. This concept is popularized by Albert Bandura’s theory. Bandura,
(1986) stated that the belief in organizing and executing the courses of action required
managing prospective situations of one's capabilities. Self-efficacy influences choice of
behavioral activities, effort expenditure, persistence in the face of obstacles and task
performance (Bandura, 1991).
People do not rely on mastery experience as the only source of information to
determine their efficacy Bandura (1997). “People are also influenced by vicarious
experiences through modeled attainments” Bandura (1997). Observing a successful
task/activity experienced by people similar to themselves provides a vicarious experience
(Goddard et al., 2004; Pearson, 2008). The determined effort of others raises their beliefs
that they, too, can master similar tasks Bandura (1997).
Verbal persuasion is the third source of efficacy according to Bandura (1997).
Bandura (1997) maintains that verbal persuasion can be effective and can impact efficacy
if the feedback is within realistic bounds. Bandura (1997) states, “To raise unrealistic
beliefs o f personal capabilities; however, only invites failures that will discredit the
persuaders and further undermine the recipients’ beliefs in their capabilities” (p. 101).
Verbal persuasion has the greatest impact when an individual already believes that he can
produce an effect through his or her action (Goddard et al., 2004; Pearson, 2008). Verbal
persuasion is also hypothesized to sustain self-efficacy in the face of difficulties and to

60
lead to greater effort and perseverance (Bandura, 1997). The fourth source of efficacy is
physiological and affective states “In judging their capabilities, people rely partly on
somatic information conveyed by their physiological and emotional states” (p. 106). In
school, orphan students may experience a stress reaction to an event or a negative
emotional arousal that can debilitate performance (Bandura, 1997; Goddard et al., 2004).
In contrast, those tasks which make the student feel good about himself and where
he experiences success, that student will more likely attempt those tasks or ones closely
related to those tasks again (Bandura, 1997). Additionally, feeling helpless in a situation,
which may lead to psychological stressors and mood states, also affect efficacy. Bandura
(1997) found that people with high self-efficacy manage stress and their moods well and
can perform tasks effectively and successfully. Although these sources help determine
where orphan students develop their beliefs, orphan students are influenced by other
factors that impact their efficacy. These factors include the context that surrounds the
activity/task, the perceived ability of the orphan student and the effort that the orphan
student puts forth towards the task.
Self-Efficacy
About 25 years ago, Bandura theorized that the beliefs that people hold about
their capabilities and the results of their efforts, influence the ways in which they behave
(Bandura, 1982, 1997). Bandura (1997) defined self-efficacy as, “the beliefs in one’s
attainments” (p. 3). People‘s belief in their efficacy influences their effort on a task, how
long they will persevere in the face of obstacles, whether their thoughts are hindering or
aiding, how much stress and depression they experience and the level of accomplishment
they experience (Bandura, 1997).

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Students’ perception of their efficacy to learn and master academic activities is a
determining factor o f their aspirations, level of motivation, and academic
describes the cognitive process as a belief that everyone has the ability to learn an activity
resulting in increased efficacy.
Self-efficacy is not a measure of the skills one has but a belief about what a
person can do with those skills under a variety of conditions (Bandura, 1997). Efficacy is
task and situation specific (Bandura, 1997; Zimmerman & Cleary, 2006). For example,
one may believe that he has the skills to succeed on a particular task but does not believe
that he will on a similar task in a different context (Bandura, 1997; Pajares, 1996; Schunk
& Meece, 2005). In determining their self-efficacy, people evaluate their skills and
capabilities and translate that knowledge into actions (Bandura, 1997; Schunk & Meece,
2005).
People with high self-efficacy have a strong belief in their capabilities and
approach difficult tasks as challenges rather than threats (Bandura, 1982, 1997; Multon,
Brown & Lent, 1991; Pajares, 1996). They will become more engaged in the activity and
work harder even when they encounter obstacles (Zimmerman & Cleary, 2006). In
contrast, students who are not efficacious in coping with demands focus on their personal
deficits (Bandura, 1982).
Bandura (1982) writes: “Self-efficacy judgments whether accurate or faulty
influence the choice of activities and environmental settings” (p. 123). Therefore,
students are more likely to choose to partake in activities or classes in which they
perceive they will experience success (Bandura, 1997; Weinstein, 2002).

62
In contrast, students will avoid classes or not exert effort in activities in which
they believe they may fail (Bandura, 1997; Pajares, 1996; Pearson, 2008; Schunk &
Meece, 2006). Students develop these efficacy beliefs from four sources of information:
mastery, vicarious, verbal persuasion, and affective states (Bandura, 1997). Students use
this information from one or all of these sources to create their beliefs about their ability
to succeed on a task (Bandura, 1997). Additionally, students who are highly efficacious
are likely to put forth more effort on a task when facing obstacles than those who are less
efficacious (Bandura, 1997).
Academic Self-Efficacy
Self-efficacy is a belief in one’s own ability to do well on a specific task
(Bandura, 1982, 1997), and plays a role in academic success as adolescents need both the
“will” and the “skill” to be successful (Alfassi, 2003; Pintrich & DeGroot, 1990; Pintrich
& Schunk, 1996). Even if adolescents believe they have the skills or knowledge to
complete a task, it is the belief that they could perform a task successfully and the level of
confidence in their ability is where they will likely experience success (Bandura, 1997;
Goddard, Hoy, & Hoy, 2004; Pajares, 1996; Pearson, 2008; Schunk & Meece, 2005;
Zimmerman & Cleary, 2006).
Studies have shown that students with high self-efficacy are more likely to
succeed than students who do not (Bandura, 1982; Multon, Brown, & Lent, 1991;
Pearson, 2008; Pajares, 1996; Schunk & Meece, 2005). Additionally, students who are
highly efficacious are likely to persist further on a task when facing obstacles than those
who have low efficacy (Bandura, 1997). Self-efficacy beliefs are sensitive to differences
in contextual factors (Schunk & Meece, 2005). These contextual factors include
situational impediments, assistance provided by the teacher, availability of resources and

63
the circumstances under which the activity is performed (Bandura, 1997). In contextual
situations, strategic skills play an important role in personal success.
Pajares (1996) posits professional efficacy supports sustained high performance
and prevents burnout. Professional efficacy regards both the “energy of effort” and
“efficiency of work” required for achieving targeted outcomes. In environments where
outcomes of outstanding quality are the only acceptable results, fully engaged
performance is essential. Professional efficacy o f individuals and teams is enhanced
through the development of: (a) talents and skills of the individual, (b) health and work-
capability fitness, (c) organizational support, (d) strategical preparation, (e)
communication intelligence, and (f) transpersonal leadership in team dynamics (p. 14).
Sense o f Purpose
Sense o f purpose included clarifying life goals, strong outlook on professional
life, meaningful commitments within his/her own interests, and established positive
relationships with others (Chickering, 1993).
Perceptions
picture albums that “contain very specific pictures of what will satisfy a person’s needs”
(Glasser, 1984, p. 22). These need are to survive and reproduce, to belong (love, share,
and cooperate), to possess power, to experience freedom, and to experience fun (Glasser,
1984).
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Components o f Motivation
Cherry (2013) posits there are three major components to motivation: activation,
persistence and intensity. Activation involves the decision to initiate a behavior, such as
enrolling in a psychology class. Persistence is the continued effort toward a goal even
though obstacles may exist, such as taking more psychology courses in order to earn a
degree although it requires a significant investment of time, energy and resources.
Finally, intensity can be seen in the concentration and vigor that goes into pursuing a
goal. For example, one student might coast by without much effort, while another student
will study regularly, participate in discussions and take advantage of research
opportunities outside of class.
Extrinsic Vs. Intrinsic Motivation
Different types o f motivation are frequently described as being either extrinsic or
intrinsic. Extrinsic motivations are those that arise from outside of the individual and
often involve rewards such as trophies, money, social recognition or praise. Intrinsic
motivations are those that arise from within the individual, such as doing a complicated
crossword puzzle purely for the personal gratification of solving a problem (Cherry 2013
p. 1).
Strategy
Armstrong (1986) states a strategy is sometimes called a roadmap which is the
path chosen to plow towards the end vision. The most important part of implementing the
strategy is ensuring the organization is going in the right direction, which is towards the
end vision. Strategy means to plan. It is a plan of action that you have mapped out on
how to proceed to the conclusion. The primary purpose of behaving strategically is to be
as effective as possible, and to have the intended results. Strategic actions are part of a
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well thought out, detailed plan, a plan that has the most likely probability o f success, a
plan so well prepared that chance is no longer in play. A strategy is a plan of action
designed to achieve a particular goal (p. 183).
Strategic Thinking
Liedtka (1998) observed five “major attributes of strategic thinking in practice”
that resemble competencies (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strategic_thinking-cite_note-
Liedtka-8). The first competency, a systems perspective, refers to being able to
understand implications of strategic actions. “A strategic thinker has a mental model of
the complete end-to-end system of value creation, his or her role within it, and an
understanding o f the competencies it contains.” A second competency underlying
strategic thinking is intent focused which means more determined and less distractible
than rivals in the marketplace. Crediting Hamel and Prahalad with popularizing the
concept, Liedtka describes strategic intent as “the focus that allows individuals within an
organization to marshal and leverage their energy, to focus attention, to resist distraction,
and to concentrate for as long as it takes to achieve a goal” (pp. 30-31).
Thinking in time, means being able to hold past, present and future in mind,
simultaneously to create better decision-making and speed implementation. “Strategy is
not driven by future intent alone; it is the gap between today’s reality and intent for the
future that is critical” (Liedtka 1998, p. 32).
Scenario planning is a practical application for incorporating “thinking in time”
into strategy making. Another strategic thinking competency is using hypothesis thinking
to ensure that both creative and critical thinking are incorporated into strategy making.
This competency explicitly incorporates the scientific method into strategic thinking.
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The final strategic thinking competency is, intelligent opportunism, which means
being responsive to good opportunities. “The dilemma involved in using a well-
articulated strategy to channel organizational efforts effectively and efficiently must
always be balanced against the risks of losing sight of alternative strategies better suited
to a changing environment” (Liedtka 1998, pp. 32-35).
Strategic Coping
Coping has been defined in psychological terms by Susan Folkman and Richard
Lazarus as: “constantly changing cognitive and behavioral efforts to manage specific
external and/or internal demands that are appraised as taxing” or “exceeding the
resources of the person” (1984, p. 141). Coping is thus expending conscious effort to
solve personal and interpersonal problems, and seeking to master, minimize or tolerate
stress or conflict. Psychological coping mechanisms are commonly termed coping
strategies or coping skills. Unconscious or non-conscious strategies (e.g., defense
mechanisms) are generally excluded.
The term coping generally refers to adaptive or constructive coping strategies, i.e.,
the strategies reduce stress levels. However, some coping strategies can be considered
maladaptive, i.e., stress levels increase. Maladaptive coping can thus be described, in
effect, as non-coping. Furthermore, the term coping generally refers to reactive coping,
i.e., the coping response follows the stressor. This contrasts with proactive coping, in
which a coping response aims to head off a future stressor. Coping responses are partly
controlled by personality (habitual traits), but also partly by the social context,
particularly the nature of the stressful environment and the quality o f planning the
individual achieves. In Drucker’s (1996) Managing Oneself, once a plan is in place,

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managing oneself within the planned goals and interactions of personnel and environment
becomes a critical element in success (p. 13).
Self-Management
According to Chow (1996), self-management means different things in different
fields, in business, education, and psychology, self-management refers to methods, skills,
and strategies by which individuals can effectively direct their own activities toward the
achievement of objectives, and includes goal setting, decision-making, focusing,
planning, scheduling, task tracking, self-evaluation, self-intervention, and self
development. Self-regulated learning is an element of self-management that provides
benefits in many enterprises.
Self-Regulated Learning
“Self-regulated learning (SRL) as the three words imply, emphasizes autonomy
and control by the individual who monitors, directs, and regulates actions toward goals of
information acquisition, expanding expertise, and self-improvement” (Paris & Paris,
2001). In particular, self-regulated learners are cognizant of their academic strengths and
weaknesses, and they have a repertoire of strategies they appropriately apply to tackle the
day-to-day challenges of academic tasks. These learners hold incremental beliefs about
intelligence (as opposed to entity, or fixed views of intelligence) and attribute their
successes or failures to factors (e.g., effort expended on a task, effective use of strategies)
within their control (Dweck & Leggett, 1988; Dweck, 2002).
The term self-regulated (process of taking control of and evaluating one’s own
learning and behavior) can be used to describe learning that is guided by metacognition.
Meta cognition has been described as thinking about one’s thinking, strategic action
planning, monitoring, and evaluating personal progress against a standard, and

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motivation to learn (Butler & Winne, 1995; Winne & Perry, 2000; Perry, Phillips, &
Hutchinson, 2006; Zimmerman, 1990; Boekaerts & Como, 2005). Self-regulated learners
are successful because they control their learning environment. They exert this control by
directing and regulating their own actions toward their learning goals. Self-regulated
learning should be used in three different phases of learning. The first phase is during the
initial learning, the second phase is when troubleshooting a problem encountered during
learning and the third phase is when they are trying to teach others (Palincsar & Brown,
1984).
Ethnicity
Tracy (2005) states that it is paramount that people take the time to examine who
they are and how each worldview reflects our manifest awareness and perceptions of self
and the rest of reality. The ethnographic account of the participants in this study will help
improve the understanding of adult orphans who were not adopted but overcame the odds
to achieve a high level o f success (p. 9).
Kincheloe and Steinberg, McLaren, Giroux, Darder, Sleeter, Morrell, Nieto,
Brock, McGee-Banks, Banks, Rodriguez, Villaverde along with many other scholars of
critical pedagogy have offered an emancipatory perspective on multicultural education.
This theory concentrates on the need of including notions of race, class, and diversity
while teaching. Multiculturalism supports the idea that students and their backgrounds
and experiences should be the center of their education and that learning should occur in
a familiar context that attends to multiple ways of thinking. If done correctly,
multicultural instruction helps students to develop a positive perception of self by
demonstrating knowledge about the culture, history, and contributions of diverse groups.
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Used appropriately, multicultural instruction is a tool for instilling students with pride
and confidence in their unique and special backgrounds.
Ethnography
Ethnography is a qualitative research method aimed to learn and understand
cultural phenomena, which reflect the knowledge and system of meaning guiding the life
of a cultural group. It was pioneered in the field of socio-cultural anthropology but has
also become a popular method in various other fields of social sciences, particularly in
sociology, communication studies, and history that study people, ethnic groups and other
ethnic formations, their ethnogenesis, composition, resettlement, social welfare
characteristics, as well as their material and spiritual culture. It is often employed for
gathering empirical data on human societies and cultures. Data collection is often done
through participant observation, interviews and questionnaires. Ethnography aims to
describe the nature o f those who are studied (i.e. to describe a people an ethnos) through
writing. In the biological sciences, this type of study might be called a “field study” or a
“case report,” both of which are used as common synonyms for ethnography (Geertz,
1973, p. 3).
Culture
Howard Handelman (2000) provides a definition of culture by way of defining
ethnicity, wherein he equates the two. Referring to Donald Rothchild and Victor
Olorunsola (1983), Handelman states, “They (ethnic cultural groups) generally have (or
believe themselves to have) a common history, traditions, beliefs, and values that unite
their members and distinguish them from other cultures” (p. 20).
Culture refers to a “learned body o f tradition that governs what one needs to
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1970).
Culture awareness is defined as being cognitively aware of one’s own culture and
understanding that an individual’s culture is distinct from other cultures within a society
(Banks, 2006). Through cultural awareness and the capacity to create simple and
consistent management tactics at the onset of the school year would increase the
opportunities for student success.
Multiculturalism
Multiculturalism is a situation in which all the different cultural or racial groups
in society have equal rights and opportunities and none is ignored or regarded as
unimportant (Banks, 1995).
According to Meyer (2010), Multiculturalism (or ethnic diversity) relates to
communities containing multiple cultures. The term is used in two broad ways, either
descriptively or normatively. As a descriptive term, it usually refers to the simple fact of
cultural diversity: it is generally applied to the demographic make-up of a specific place,
sometime at the organizational level, e.g. schools, businesses, neighborhoods, cities, or
nations.
As a normative term, it refers to ideologies or policies that promote this diversity
or its institutionalization; in this sense, multiculturalism is a society “at ease with the rich
tapestry o f human life and the desire amongst people to express their own identity in the
manner they see fit (p. 15).
Cultural policies vary widely, including country to country, ranging from the
advocacy of equal respect to the various cultures in a society, to a policy o f promoting the
maintenance o f cultural diversity, to policies in which people of various ethnic and
religious groups are defined by their communities.

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Two main different and seemingly inconsistent strategies have developed through
different Government policies and strategies: The first focuses on interaction and
communication between different cultures. Interactions of cultures provide opportunities
for the cultural differences to communicate and interact to create multiculturalism. Such
approaches are also often known as interculturalism. The second centers on diversity and
cultural uniqueness. Cultural isolation can protect the uniqueness of the local culture of a
nation or area and also contribute to global cultural diversity. A common aspect of many
policies following the second approach is that they avoid presenting any specific ethnic,
religious, or cultural community values as central. Multiculturalism is often contrasted
with the concepts of assimilationism and has been described as a "salad bowl" or
"cultural mosaic" rather than a "melting pot" (Meyer, 2010, pp. 15-16).
“Cultural mosaic” (French: “la mosaique culturelle”) is the mix of ethnic groups,
languages and cultures that co-exist within society. The idea of a cultural mosaic is
intended to champion an ideal of multiculturalism, differently from other systems like the
melting pot, which is often used to describe the neighboring United States' supposed ideal
o f assimilation (Meyer, 2010, p. 17).
Multicultural
Chisholm (1994) stated that multicultural and national diversity are key
components in the 21st Century. The nature of our national composition demands the
multicultural preparation o f teachers. Our nation is not a melting pot wherein human
diversity fuses into a uniform America. On the contrary, ours is a mosaic of vibrant,
diverse colors in which a cultural medley forms a variegated whole called the American
culture. Within this national mosaic, each component culture retains its uniqueness while
adding to the composition of the whole.

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Banks, (1996) also posits that multicultural means consisting of several different
cultural, racial or ethnic groups. It can refer to a specific region, an event or national
diversity.
The United States of America
The Bureau o f the Census is part of the United States Department of Commerce.
The United States Census is a decennial census mandated by the United States
Constitution. [1] The population is enumerated every 10 years and the results are used to
allocate Congressional seats (congressional apportionment), electoral votes, and
government program funding. [2] The United States Census Bureau (officially the Bureau
o f the Census, as defined in Title 13 U.S.C. § 11) is the government agency that is
responsible for the United States Census.
Title 13 of the United States Code governs how the Census is conducted and how
its data is handled. Information is confidential as per 13 U.S.C. § 9. Refusing or
neglecting to answer the census is punishable by fines of $100, for a property or business
agent to fail to provide correct names for the census is punishable by fines of $500, and
for a business agent to provide false answers for the census is punishable by fines of
$10,000, pursuant to 13 U.S.C. § 221-224.
The United States Census is a population census, which is distinct from the U.S.
Census of Agriculture, which is no longer the responsibility of the Census Bureau. It is
also distinct from local censuses conducted by some states or local jurisdictions.
Ethnically Diverse
Multicultural according to the United States Census is defined as:
The Ethnically Diverse and Caucasian adult orphan participants in this study are
identified below according to the United States Census Bureau Report and the Australian
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Bureau of Statistics: Caucasian/White American, Black/African American,
Asian/American, Hispanic/Latino American, Native American/Alaskan, and Hawaiian
American/Pacific Islander. This study also includes participants from Australia identified
as Aboriginal/Australian.
Aboriginal Australian
Horton (1994) purported Aboriginal Australians, also referred to as Aboriginal
people, are people whose ancestors were indigenous to the Australian continent— that is,
to mainland Australia or to the island of Tasmania—before British colonization of the
continent began in 1788. “Aboriginal Australians” was a category coined by the British
after they began colonizing Australia in 1788 to collectively refer to all peoples they
found already inhabiting the continent, and later to the descendants of any of those
peoples. Until the 1980s, the sole legal and administrative criterion for inclusion in this
category was race.
In the era of colonial and post-colonial government, access to basic human rights
depended upon your race. If you were a “full blooded Aboriginal native ... or any person
apparently having an admixture of Aboriginal blood,” a half-caste being the "offspring of
an Aboriginal mother and other than Aboriginal father” (but not of an Aboriginal father
and other than Aboriginal mother), a “quadroon” or had a “strain” of Aboriginal blood
you were forced to live on Reserves or Missions, work for rations, given minimal
education, and needed governmental approval to marry, visit relatives or use electrical
appliances.
This racial litmus test was assumed in the two references to Aboriginal people
that used to exist in the Constitution of Australia. Section 51(xxvi) gave the
Commonwealth parliament power to legislate with respect to “the people of any race”
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throughout the Commonwealth, except for the people of “the aboriginal race,” who were
subject to— and only to—the laws of the particular state in which they lived.
Section 127 o f the Australian Constitution stated that, “aboriginal natives shall not
be counted” in reckoning the size of the population. After both of these references were
removed by a 1967 referendum, there was no longer any explicit reference to Aboriginal
peoples in the Australian Constitution. Since that time, there have been a number of
proposals to amend the constitution to specifically mention Indigenous Australians (pp.
6-7).
Aboriginal people were not recognized and acknowledged until 1967 as being
“Australian.”
Personal Identity
According to Parfit (1971), Personal identity is the unique numerical identity of
persons through time. Moreover, the necessary and sufficient conditions under which a
person at one time and a person at another time can be said to be the same person,
persisting through time. In the modem philosophy o f mind, this concept of personal
identity is sometimes referred to as the diachronic problem of personal identity. The
synchronic problem is grounded in the question of what features or traits characterize a
given person at one time? (p. 7)
In the words of Rosenwald and Ochberg (1992):
claim as their own lives. Personal stories are not merely a way of telling
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Sense of Diversity
A sense of diversity includes understanding and respecting interdependence of
humanity, cultures, and natural environment. It is practicing mutual admiration for
different qualities and experiences and understanding other ways of being and ways of
knowing. Also, it includes understanding that individual and cultural discrimination
maintains privileges for particular groups while creating disadvantages for others; and
eradicating all types o f discrimination while empowering school culture (LAS, 2004).
Therefore, diversity is the ability to recognize how to relate to those who are in
different groups from our own. These include race, class, gender, physical abilities, and
sex orientation in addition to religion, educational background, geographical location,
family income, and parent status (Ladson-Billing, 2001; LAS, 2004). It is important for
everyone to realize that each individual and culture is valuable and no one is superior to
another (Banks, 2004; Grant & Gomez, 2001; LAS, 2004).
Howard Handelman (2000) gives a definition of culture by way of defining
ethnicity, wherein he equates the two. Handelman states, “They (ethnic cultural groups)
generally have (or believe themselves to have) a common history, traditions, beliefs, and
values that unite their members and distinguish them from other cultures” (as cited by
Rothchild & Olorunsola, 1983, p. 20). Handelman goes on to state how “ethnicity
(culture) requires a subjective group consciousness that enables its members to establish
mental boundaries between themselves and others” (as cited in Tracy (2005), p. 49).
Miller (2006) referred to cultural change as the process students undergo as their
world or family of orientation and community expands to include a broader range of
experiences related to attending college. This expansion may include, but is not limited
to: exposure to a different SES peer group, new ideas experienced through the academic
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and social environment, and the changes in taste for personal presentation of self
(London, 1989; Rendon, 1992: Tinto, 1987).
Orphans and Their Gender
The research about orphan students’ expectation highlights various characteristics
that help teachers form expectations concerning males and females. The professional
literature identifies several orphan student characteristics which teachers use when
forming their expectations: gender, race, ethnicity and social class. In many classrooms
initial expectations of students may be the result of social stereotypes. These stereotypes
suggest that students belonging to certain ethnic and lower social classes are less well-
equipped and less interested in school achievement than their middle class white peers
(Jensen & Rosenfeld, 1973; McKown & Weinstein, 2008). If stereotypes influence
teachers’ expectations of students, then teachers will devalue certain races and ethnicities
as well as lower social class based on their inherent biases (Jensen & Rosenfeld, 1973;
McKown &Weinstein, 2008).
Kreider’s (1997) research article “Living Elsewhere: Stories of Successful
Women Who Lived in Group Care as Girls,” addresses the gender issues concerning
orphans. Much o f group care research has overlooked girls and women, as well as the
positive outcomes and resiliency fostered by some group care experiences (Kreider,
1997). Such group-care success stories and gender-sensitive analyses are vital to
strengthening providers’ morale and knowledge. So how do girls’ experiences in group-
care and connect to positive outcomes in adulthood? Interviews with 11 former group
care residents now recognized for their professional, community and educational
accomplishments shed light on this question.

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In this general context of non-belonging, certain positive group-care practices and
people took on special significance. Specifically, women fondly remember practices that
led to caring relationships and a sense of membership in a group or second “family.”
These group-care supports combined with girls’ active roles in maximizing opportunities
to experience care and belonging.
As Woods (2001) explained, “the male deficit model maintains that men are not
adept at intimacy because they have been less interested or able than women to disclose
emotions, reveal personal information, and engage in communication about intimate
topics” (p. 195). The male deficit model is based on decades of research that considers
self-disclosure and expression of emotion as relational building blocks.
Carusi (2006) stated the gendered expression of emotion and feminized research
protocol call for a reevaluation of our research methods.
Women connect these group care experiences to later life and success, including
their choices in work, education, community involvement, and relationships. As Laura
says, "I recognize its tendrils in my life” (p. 14). Specifically, these women describe
becoming adventurers, advocates for relationships, and fighters of justice in ways that
have earned them professional recognition, academic achievement, and leadership
positions. In this way, these women describe aspects of group care that fostered
psychological health (Gilligan, 1991) and led to future success.
Several female participants in this study attribute much of their success to the
group care settings in which they were raised. Often the positive group care factors
named are described as ones that counteract the absence of care and belonging so
prevalent in women’s descriptions of early life. In particular, women name group care
structures, programs and staff that helped them as girls to recognize and rely on their own
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strengths, relate deeply to others, and feel prepared to participate in a larger community
and society. In this way, these female participants describe aspects o f group care that
fostered psychological health (Gilligan, 1991) and led to future success.
Tarko (2006) stated the scientists don't understand exactly what causes this
difference between girls and boys. Why do girls respond better to foster care, in terms of
cognitive development? Is this difference caused by what happens in institutionalized
care or do foster parents tend to treat boys and girls differently, for example being more
talkative with girls and thus boosting their verbal skills? “The girls placed in foster care
do much better in terms o f their IQ scores compared with boys,” said Nathan Fox of the
University o f Maryland.
Sean Poliak (2006), developmental psychopathologist at the University of
Wisconsin, states, “It's a very interesting finding. One would not expect it (the sex
difference) at all.” (p 294)
Zeanah (2006) provided one possible answer. He studied emotional and
behavioral disorders among fostered and institutionalized children and found that boys
were more affected by behavioral disorders (such as hyperactivity and aggression) while
girls were more likely to suffer from emotional disorders (such as anxiety and
depression). Also, his team found that there was no difference between children in foster
care or institutional care in case of the frequency of behavioral disorders, but on the other
hand foster care tended to help in case of emotional problems. Zeanah adds “Girls are
much more responsive to placement in foster care and have their (psychiatric) symptoms
ameliorated more than boys” (Zeanah, p. 295).

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Miller (2006) stated that resilient men come from family homes with structure and
rules, and a male role model. Goleman (1995) suggests that emotional intelligence plays
a large role in the success of professionals, entrepreneurs and executives.
Gender/Ethnicity
Most research on group differences in self-efficacy focus on gender (Skunk &
Meece, 2005). Some studies found that gender differences in self-efficacy favor boys
(Meece & Jones, 1996; Pinctrich & DeGroot, 1990), while others favor girls (Britner &
Pajares, 2001). Several revealed no gender differences in self-efficacy (Pajares, 1996:
Roeser et al., 1996; Tyler and Boelter, 2008).
Emotional Intelligence and Resilience
Emotional intelligence (El) is the ability to identify, assess, and control the
emotions o f oneself, of others, and of groups. Various models and definitions have been
proposed of which the ability and trait El models are the most widely accepted in the
scientific literature. Criticisms have centered on whether the construct is a real
intelligence and whether it has incremental validity over IQ and the Big Five personality
dimensions.
Goleman (1995) identified the five domains of Emotional Intelligence EQ
(Emotional Quotient) as:
1. Knowing your emotions
2. Managing your own emotions
3. Motivating yourself
4. Recognizing and understanding other people’s emotions
5. Managing relationships, i.e., managing theemotions of others, (pp. 43-44)

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Resilience
Another expression of emotional intelligence is resiliency in the face of failure or
disappointments. According to Rutter (1987), resilience is the ability to thrive or bounce
back from adverse experiences. Resilience is a trait that is developed during hardships
and crises (Beckett & Lee, 2004; Perry & Szalavitz, 2006). Perry and Szalavitz contend
that, “Resilient orphan children are made, not bom” (p. 38). They posit that orphan
children become resilient as a result of the patterns of stress and lack of nurturing that
occur early on in their experiences. Jenson and Fraser (2006) claim that resilience results
from a combination of individual and environmental factors. Several characteristics can
be found in orphan children who are resilient: social competence, resourcefulness,
autonomy, a sense o f purpose and a positive outlook for their future (Klein et al., 2006).
Bernard’s (1991) study on resilience described a resilient child as one who loves
well, works well, plays well, and expects well. The study further indicated that these
children usually have four attributes, which are: social competence, problem solving,
autonomy and a sense o f purpose and future. In the same study the researcher
commented by saying, “Whether or not those attributes are strong enough within the
individual to help that person bounce back from adversity depends on certain protective
factors in his or her life” (Bernard, 1991, p. 3). According to Fraser, Kirby, and
Smokowski (2004), resilience is a trait that allows children to achieve positive outcomes
in the face o f risks that might undermine their ability to grow into happy, healthy, well-
adjusted productive adults.
Glicken (2006) provides a number of definitions other researchers use to present
the meaning of resilience. He say resilience is: (a) the ability to withstand and rebound
from disruptive challenges in life; the ability to thrive, nurture, and increase one’s
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competence in the face o f adverse circumstances, (b) the ability to “bounce back” from
adverse situations, to overcome the negative influences that often block achievement, and
(c) the capacity for successful adaptation, positive functioning or competence in spite of
high levels of risk, chronic stress, or prolonged or severe traumas. Glicken who himself
defines resilience as simply “successful social functioning” posits that the variety of
definitions o f resilience are inadequate and confusing. Underlying many successful
people is a clear sense of ethics, integrity and personal morality that engender trust and
confidence among their followers.
Ethical and Moral Attitudes
Noddings (1984) developed the theory of an ethic of caring by framing caring in
dimensions of fidelity, ethics, and morality in education. Fidelity is not simply seen as
faithfulness to duty. According to Noddings, fidelity was viewed as a direct response to
individuals with whom one is in relation. This concept by Noddings was considered to be
natural caring; as when one willingly wants to care for another person. Fidelity of persons
and the quality o f relations can thus be applied to the issues of teaching and teacher
education.
Noddings suggested that persons acting under an ethic of caring do so not out of a
sense of duty but from the sincere interest in building relations and relational
competence. As Gilligan (1982) pointed out relations involve two or more parties and are
comprised o f distinctive forms of reciprocity. The connection to caring and teaching is
made clear in that caring involves the encouraging of development of those in one’s care,
as teaching requires caring for individuals one teaches (Noddings, 1986).
Noddings (1986) outlined four components in a model for caring and moral
education. Modeling, dialogue, practice, and confirmation were conceptualized as a

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vision for education reform. In putting forth a conceptualization for caring in education,
Noddings confronted those who espoused a theory that schools can only really do one
thing well and that is to teach basic skills.
Gann and Duigan (1986) expressed that school should not be looked upon as an
institution that can solve all of the nation’s ills but rather the school’s job is to teach basic
academic skills. Noddings (1988) described the frequency in which human encounters,
particular those within the context of teacher-student relations, created the possibility for
caring. Teachers, model caring through relations and interactions with students that
encourage self-affirmation.
Self-affirmation meant that students were motivated to protect and maintain an
image o f self-integrity, morality, and adequacy (Steele, 1988). The modeling included the
admirable patterns o f intellectual activity, as well as, desirable ways to interact with
people; thus each interaction and teaching moment was a caring occasion. Dialogue was
essential in the process o f moral education and the ethics of caring in that it was open and
truthful.
Steel (1988) suggested that there was an avoidance of conclusions being
dominated by one or more parties in a relation. Means of problem solving were mutual
and appropriate in that they demonstrated reciprocity. Such dialogue promoted mutual
acknowledgment and respect for opposing positions and the understanding of
consequence of one’s actions for self and others. The caring teacher fostered an
environment whereby students could practice caring behaviors. Students were given
opportunities to demonstrate caring when they were encouraged to support and care for
one another.
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Confirmation, as expressed by Noddings, is the most important aspect of
developing caring individuals and environments. Confirmation is the sensitivity and
awareness of students’ ethical ideals. Once teachers become aware of what a student
aspires to be, the teacher’s level of acceptance and approval enables them to encourage
their students. Through an ethic of caring conversely, if teachers disapprove of an act or
ideal within a student, their response can still impute a worthy motive for an unworthy act
(Noddings, 1988).
Moral and ethical attitudes, culture, adversity, diversity, multiculturalism, barriers
encountered will be investigated to discover how orphans achieved financial and career
success.
Education
Senge (1995) promoted a traditional perspective that leaders were people who
established direction, held the decision-making capacity, and were responsible for
followers. Additionally, Senge viewed the new perspective of leadership as one that
should be that of designer, steward and teacher.
parents, and adversity and poverty, and they faced general problems of their lineage
identity. Another important quality Macy (2000) discussed was a desire for personal
growth. Orphans found value in education that boosted their self-esteem. A student
claimed, “a lot of people look at their college degree as a piece of paper, but to me it is a
symbol of triumph over adversity, over many of the biggest challenges of my life”
(Macy, 2000, p. 41).
Teacher and student relationships in schools make a difference. Trust is one
party’s willingness to be vulnerable to another party based on the confidence that the
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latter party is benevolent, reliable, competent, honest, and open (Tschannen-Moran &
Hoy, 2000). “A student’s trust of a teacher is seen as an important factor in determining
the degree to which that student will be open to being taught by that teacher.” (Wooden
& McCroskey, 1995, p. 94)
Edwards et al. (2007) examined Non-Govemmental Organization (NGO) success
in providing infant orphans with nurturing and preschool enrichment programs in
partnership with international, national and provincial governments through a coherent
blend of cultural practices in curriculum and program operation. They reported that
teachers and nannies would be able within the time frames o f their working day and week
to develop strong and secure enough relationships with these particular children to
energize substantial catch up learning and development on the part of the children.
In Manley and Hawkins’ (2009) book Designing School Systems fo r All Students:
A Toolbox to Fix Am erica’s Schools, in almost all societies, values are deeply held and
highly cherished beliefs. The changing demographics of the 21st Century American
family present many challenges for school leaders. Under federal and state requirements,
children, no matter their background or individual needs, must meet performance
standards or risk failing to graduate high school. School leaders must decide how to meet
the diverse needs of their children. They must overcome any and all obstacles that
prevent them from designing schools where teachers, staff, parents and, most
importantly, students are successful.
Teacher-Student Relationships
Rubie (2003) studied the effects of orphan’s expectations on achievement and
instructional practices. She found that high expectation teachers created different
instructional and affective classroom environments. These high expectation teachers had
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students who had marked academic gains over the course of the year and improvement in
their self-perceptions compared to students in other classes. In the low expectation
classrooms, teachers managed their students’ behavior less effectively than the high
expectation teachers. These high expectation teachers also supported their students more
and provided them with feedback about their learning. Rubie (2003) suggested that the
results could be due to the fact that teachers’ expectations towards the students in their
classroom created a learning environment and socio-emotional climate that encouraged
students to perform well in class. These studies reveal that teacher behavior does have an
influence on orphan students’ perceptions and that affective classrooms produce more
successful students than classrooms who have a less affective atmosphere.
Trust o f Teachers
Social scientists have traditionally blamed school failure on external influences,
where students are passive participants in the school environment (Domagala-Zysk,
2006). Now, the perspective is changing. Domagala-Zysk (2006) claims, “the emphasis
is on the fact o f how children perceive their educational situation, especially the quality
o f social support which is available from the people around them” (p. 234). Teachers,
who engage students and develop a relationship with them, support their learning
(Sadowski, 2008). Adolescents are profoundly impacted by their relationships at school,
i.e., coaches, teachers, and administrators, when it is evident that the “student matters to
the adult as much as the adult matters to the student” (Sadowski, 2008). Nakkula and
Toshalis (2006) found that students would work hard for the teachers they like and by
whom they feel respected.
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mind, then the level of trust is likely to increase (Wooten & McCroskey, 1995). Gregory
and Ripski (2008) found that trust is comprised of students’ perceptions of their teachers’
use o f their power in the classroom and the students’ beliefs that they should follow and
respect their teachers’ requests. Wooten and McCroskey (1995) suggest that trust is
viewed as essential in the relationship between student and teacher for maximal learning
to occur. Thus, trust is necessary for effective cooperation and communication and is
essential to maximize the learning opportunities for students (Tschannen-Moran & Hoy,
2000).
Orphans are keenly aware of their surroundings and are extremely sensitive to
their environment (Bandura, 1997, 2006; Domagala-Zysk, 2006; Pearson, 2008;
Sadowski; 2008; Schunk & Meece, 2005; Weinstein, 2002; Wigfield, Eccles, Maclver,
Reuman & Midgley, 1991). However, Weinstein (2002) believed, “research methods
have too long prioritized the viewpoint of the observer over the perspective of the
participant, largely neglecting insights gleaned from children, the recipients of
expectations in schooling” (p. 104). Thus, this study will examine the perceptions of
orphans regarding what they observe about how their teachers communicate their
expectations in the classroom as well as their self-reported academic self-efficacy and
trust in their teacher.
According to Wooten and McCroskey (1995), trust is viewed as essential in the
relationship between student and teacher for maximal learning to occur. Thus, trust is
necessary for effective cooperation and communication and is essential to maximize the
learning opportunities for orphan students (Tschannen-Moran & Hoy, 2000). Research
studies have shown that students are more likely to internalize the information they
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receive from others if a trusting relationship is established (Carnegie Council on
Adolescent Development, 1995; Gregory & Weinstein, 2008).
Student trust in teacher authority has received little attention in research
(Tschannen-Moran & Hoy, 2000). Although researchers have discussed the importance
of trust between teachers and students (Bryk & Schneider, 2002), studies are lacking in
this area. Gregory and Ripski (2008) claim that an approach that creates a relationship
between student and teacher may earn students’ cooperation as they may view teachers as
“trustworthy and legitimate” authority figures. “If students trust their teacher, they are
more likely to turn to them for guidance in their learning efforts and be accepting o f the
teacher’s influence attempts” (Wooten & McCroskey, 1995, p. 94). Without trust, a
student’s energy is focused on self-protection and away from learning (Tschannen-Moran
& Hoy, 2000).
Certain conditions must exist before trust could be developed between people
(Rousseau, Sitkin, Burt, & Camerer, 1998). Rousseau et al. (1998) found that risk must
be present in the relationship and that creates an opportunity for trust. The second
condition that must be present is interdependence where the interests of one party cannot
be achieved without the reliance upon another (Rousseau et al., 1998). Because both of
these factors are necessary for trust to be present, then over the course of the relationship
variation in these factors can alter the level and form of trust (Rousseau et al., 1998).
Teacher Expectations
The effects of teacher expectations have been an interest of researchers for
decades. Expectancy effects were formally defined by two sociologists, Thomas in 1931
and Merton in 1948, and were empirically studied by Rosenthal and Jacobson in 1968
Weinstein, (2002). This groundbreaking study brought to the forefront the means by
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which teacher expectations have had a significant impact on student performance. In
order to understand the effects teacher expectations have on students, one needs to
understand how they are communicated in the classroom.
Teacher expectations have an impact on the students, as teachers tend to control
the environment and possibly student outcomes by communicating their expectations of
the student to them (Cooper & Good, 1983). Teachers, without intent, communicate their
expectations surreptitiously to the student, and the student, knowingly or unknowingly,
responds or reacts to these messages (Cooper & Good, 1983; Good & Brophy, 2003;
Good & Weinstein, 1986). They use various ways to convey their expectations (Good &
Weinstein, 1986; Weinstein, 2002). According to Rosenthal (1989), teachers
communicate their expectations through effort behaviors and by creating an affective
environment. Students perceive these behaviors as differential treatment in the classroom
(Good & Weinstein, 1986; Weinstein, 2002). Weinstein (2002) claims that teacher
behaviors may result in “the differential allowance of educational experiences to different
groups o f children and that they may expand or constrain learning and performance
opportunities for all children” (p. 103). As a result, students who perceive negative
behaviors are likely to set lower goals and have lower academic self-efficacy which then,
in turn, may influence academic performance (Tyler & Boelter, 2008).
Craft and Freidland (1998) stated, “Parents expect their Junior High School kids
to show levels of maturity they are incapable of showing.” (p.60)
Multicultural Education
Banks and Banks (1995) define multicultural education:
Multicultural education is a field of study and an emerging discipline

whose major aim is to create equal educational opportunities for students
from diverse racial, ethnic, social-class, and cultural groups. One o f its
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important goals is to help all students to acquire the knowledge, attitudes,

and skills needed to function effectively in a pluralistic democratic society
and to interact, negotiate, and communicate with peoples from diverse
groups in order to create a civic and moral community that works for the
common good (p. xi),
Multicultural education not only draws content, concepts, paradigms, and

theories from specialized interdisciplinary fields such as ethnic studies and
women studies (and from history and the social and behavioral sciences),
it also interrogates, challenges, and reinterprets content, concepts, and
paradigms from the established disciplines. Multicultural education
applies content from these fields and disciplines to pedagogy and
curriculum development in educational settings. Consequently, we may
define multicultural education as a field of study designed to increase
educational equity for all students that incorporates, for this purpose,
content, concepts, principles, theories, and paradigms from history, the
social and behavioral sciences, and particularly from ethnic studies and
women studies (p. xi).
Culture Awareness
(Banks, 2006).
In 2006, Morote and Tatum applied a survey entitled “The Multicultural
Awareness to School Environment” (MASE). Their study focused on teachers’
multicultural awareness to school environment. Teachers among k-12 schools and was
field tested with 136 teachers in one school district. Factor analysis on MASE items
defined three subscales: Social Climate, Professional Development, and Curriculum and
Instruction. With continuing research to document reliability (approximately 87%) and
construct validity, the MASE appears to have potential on facilitating research to better
understand teachers’ attitudes towards multicultural awareness to school environment.

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Multicultural Instruction
Sleeter and Grant (2007) define multicultural instruction as acknowledging the
unique culture of the individual and adapting classroom processes that promote the
respect and equity of different groups in order to improve knowledge acquisition.
Orphans and Barriers to Professional Success
As governments and international (NGO) Non-Governmental Organizations
struggle to assist orphans, they find insufficient resources hamper their efforts. It is for
NGOs to provide comprehensively for the physical, psychological, social and emotional
needs of children without families (Edwards, Cotton, Zhao, Gelabert, & Bowen, (2007).
Mckenzie (2010) observed that orphans today are more damaged than orphans
were in the day of orphan trains and faith-based orphanages. The vast majority of foster
children have been exposed to alcohol/drugs in utero; and with drugs and alcohol come
domestic violence, sexual abuse, all kinds of abuse, gross negligence and abandonment.
Adolescence is a turbulent time for even the most confident youngster (Bandura,
1997; Schunk and Meece, 2005). During this period, young adolescents experience a
stage o f rapid cognitive, emotional, physical and social growth (Bandura, 1997, 2006;
Carnegie Council on Adolescent Development, 1995; Domagala-Zysk, 2006; Pearson,
2008; Sadowski, 2008; Schunk & Meece, 2005; Wigfield et al., 1991). Adolescents
experiment with behavior and pose questions to help construct meaning about their
surroundings (Nakkula & Toshalis, 2006).
Globalization is a social trend, which integrates people with different cultural
backgrounds. Culture meet, clash, and grapple with each other as if in the contact zone.
Under this circumstance, people started to improve the teaching methods, which means
the phenomenon of multicultural education is coming along with the development of

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globalization. The influence of multicultural education for international students and
orphans shows on both positive and negative sides. Multicultural education provides a
relatively fairer learning environment for international students, that uses the strengths
and prior knowledge those students bring to school to help them in new learning
endeavors.
Moreover, when teachers’ pay attention to cultivate a multicultural atmosphere, it
helps international students to gradually obtain a global view. However, multicultural
education may cause abandonment of original culture for international students. Teachers
sometimes use multiple examples to satisfy diverse students, but there is no standard
benchmark for multicultural education and teachers usually add their own values to their
education. Consequently, if teachers try to deliberately concentrate on providing
multicultural examples, it may confuse international students and it cannot guarantee a
fair education environment. Furthermore, international students may feel being left out
when teachers want to emphasize multiculturalism (Banks, 1995).
Previous studies provide clear evidence that both individual psychological
variables and environmental factors play a role in the orphan student’s decision to drop
out of school (Bronfenbrenner, 1979; Hobbs, 1982).
Isaac (2008) stated that through her research she came to regard deeply the reality
o f the orphan’s plight throughout history, especially the history o f the recent past.
According to Better Future International (2009), kinship or “family care” results in
better social, emotional, educational, and health outcomes for child well-being than
institutional care. Unlike orphanages or other institutions, the family environment
strengthens social and emotional networks by connecting the child to family, friends,
neighbors, and the community. These relationships are conduits for the intergenerational
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transmission of knowledge and culture, which are essential for the successful transition
into independent living as an adult. Some orphans placed in family care are able to
maintain their linguistic, cultural, religious, and family traditions. The family setting
offers more security and stability for the child, is cost effective and requires less
government intervention (Better Future International, 2009).
According to Cry of the Orphan (2012), a non-profit agency
(http://cryoftheorphan.org), 13 million children, worldwide, have lost both their mother
and father. The site also reports that orphans are more prone to become victims of
violence, exploitation and other injustices. Children can become orphaned for various
reasons including natural disasters and diseases. While orphans cannot take care of
themselves, grants are available to help improve their quality of life.
Child Welfare League of America believes children experience a great deal of
stress and trauma when they are forced to leave their birth parents, and as a result, they
can be left with severe emotional, psychological, and behavior problems McKenzie,
(1995). Those who successfully navigate their way through the stress and trauma without
becoming unhinged do so because they bring strength with them (Epstein, 1999). This
strength is referred to as resilience, according to Cry of the Orphan, (2012) resiliencies a
trait that allows children to achieve positive outcomes in the face o f risks that might
undermine their ability to grow into happy, healthy, well-adjusted productive adults.
Loss and Grief
Voirst (1998) described the difficulty of attaining identity.
Probably the greatest reason why we tend to rebel against our developing
individual identity is because we feel it comes between our self and the
mother with whom we once shared a world-embracing oneness. We must
count among our necessary losses the giving up of this world-embracing
oneness although we will never give up wanting to retrieve it. (p. 39)
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Viorst (1998) offers insight into normal separation from a mother.
We begin life with loss but until we can learn to tolerate our physical and
psychological separateness, our need for our mother's presence is absolute.
It's hard to become a separate self, to separate both literally and
emotionally, to be able to outwardly stand alone, and to inwardly feel
ourselves to be distinct, (p. 22)
“There are losses we’ll have to sustain, though they may be balanced by our
gains, as we move away from the body and being of our mothers, what prevents us from
doing that is the high cost of leaving, the high cost of the loss, and the cost of separation.
In some cases this cost of leaving one’s mother is too high, too often; people refuse to
leave because they can endure anything but abandonment from their mother.” (Viorst, pp.
22-23)
According to Viorst (1998), the unknown stages can be most difficult for those in
Loss gives rise to anxiety when the loss is either impending or thought to
be temporary. Anxiety contains a kernel of hope. But when loss appears to
be permanent, anxiety and protest gives way to depression, despair, and
we may not only feel lonely and sad but responsible (“I drove her away”),
and helpless (“I can do nothing to bring her back”), and unlovable (“There
is something about me that makes me unworthy o f love”), and hopeless
(“Therefore I'll feel this way forever”).
Studies show that early childhood losses make us sensitive to losses we

encounter later on. And so, in mid-life, our response to a death in the
family, a divorce, the loss of a job, may be a severe depression, the
response of that helpless, hopeless, and angry child, (p. 32)
Kubler-Ross (1969) outlined the five stages of grief as: (1) Anger: How dare God
do this to me, (2) Denial and isolation: This is not happening to me, (3) Bargaining:
Please just let me live to see my son graduate, (4) Depression: I can’t bear to face going
through this, putting my family through this, and (5) Acceptance: I’m ready; I don’t want
to struggle anymore (p. 123).

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Attachment and Mourning
In Erickson’s (1950) developmental theory there are also indications of the
importance o f attachment. His first stage of development is to achieve basic trust. This
can be achieved by affinity with those who are close to us (often, as in Bowlby’s theory,
the mother). Erikson argues that this kind of attachment will be created if the child
expects that his mother will be there when needed. The second stage is to achieve a
feeling o f independence. This can be a result of the mother’s ability to allow for freedom
in some areas and lay down firm boundaries in others. Those two stages are crucial to the
attachment style of the child.
We mourn when we lose someone or something that we were closely attached to.
The basic premise o f attachment theory is that humans have innate needs for safety,
security, and connection. They develop early in life and tend to continue throughout the
life cycle. In the early stage of attachment theory, Bowlby described a bond he believed
existed between caregivers (usually mothers) and children. Later labeled “attachment”
(Ainsworth, 1968; Bowlby, 1958; Bowlby, 1969), it was conceptualized as the effective
connection between two individuals that provides them with a firm emotional foundation
with which they can interact with the world.
Through the work o f Ainsworth and colleagues, the first typology of attachment
styles was created. Their work revealed three different styles of child behavior: secure
attachment, anxious/ambivalent attachment and resistant/avoidant attachment and
controlling/disorganized attachment (Ainsworth & Bell, 1974). Bowlby believed that the
combination o f positive and negative beliefs about self and others created the different
attachment styles described by Ainsworth (Bowlby, 1980).
Children who display secure attachments believe that they are worthy of love, and
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carry that expectation with them, and, therefore, select relationships that are congruent
with that belief. Secure forms of attachment were characterized by supportive, trusting,
caring and accepting behaviors (Bowlby, 1969). Anxious attachment is characterized by
the child’s belief that the world is not to be trusted; they were hesitant in emotionally
connecting with others because of the perceived doomed ending of the relationship.
Avoidant attachments are characterized by the child’s belief that they are unlovable or
unacceptable but that others are good. These types of bonds are believed to be the
foundation for future relationships as well as other individuals’ typical view of
themselves and others.
For Bowlby, loss is potentially catastrophic and can be, at best, coped with by
appropriate mourning (Bowlby, 1958, cited in Holmes, 1994, p. 68).
Determinants of Behavior
Plowman (2006) what causes us to behave the way we do? Is our behavior really
an act of free choice? Moreover, what causes orphans’ to behave the way they do? For
years psychologists have debated whether human behavior is something we are bom with
or something we acquire in the “nature/nurture” debate. Plowman’s theoretical paper
suggests that debate is limited and offers the view that there are four determinants of our
behavior, they are of unequal influence and they are mostly unconscious. These four
determinants are pre-wiring (nature), formative years (nurture), contemporary society,
and creativity. Each has had an important role to play in the evolution of human kind.
Williams (2008) said: “So often, people want to change something that's a layer
rather than getting to something that's the foundation. The mindset is the foundation. It
needs to be promptly there. It's something that shows up when you enter the situation.”
Williams also stated that the attitude needs to be “clean, pristine and focused” on
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what you want to accomplish. “Then you need to have a particular method to your
demeanor. Always have an encouraging word as well as a plan of action.” According to
Williams:
There’s a science to how you conduct yourself. Very often, misery loves
company, so they (your friends and family) will pull you in that direction
if they are able to. With that said, when successful orphans share their
stories I provides nourishment and fuel for the orphans of today and
tomorrow, (pp. 25-27)
Tenacity
Rodriguez (1989) stated tenacity is the ability to stick with something even when
the going gets tough. Never give up. Never surrender! Tenacity also means the quality,
or state o f being. Tenacity is also the ability of matter to overcome great strength or force.
tenacity to overcome the great mass of force of the people crossing the bridge (p. 282).
Persistence
Persistence is the quality of continually and steadily being obstinate in a course of
something such as an effort after its causes has ceased or been removed. (Merricks (1999)
Perseverance
Perseverance means Determination to follow through in action. Working hard
and not giving up! Steadfastness in doing something despite difficulty or delay in
of glory (Stanley, 1990).
Survival Skills
Glasser (2006) postulated that survival skills are skills one must possess in rising
above challenges that nature and mankind throw at you, beating the odds and managing
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to live in situations in which others do not. “Survival suggests inner strength, skill and
resourcefulness, and maybe luck of divine intervention. Perseverance can play a big part
in survival too, because sometimes, what it takes most to survive is not giving up until
you have succeeded” (pp. 240-243).
Success
For the purpose of this study of multicultural adult orphans, success was
determined by one’s educational status and position in life which is the achievement of a
bachelor degree or higher. Moreover, the participants have to be gainfully employed or
successfully retired resulting in the support of one’s self and one’s family, to the extent of
being financially secure, in which one does not have to rely on others for income. The
participants were considered to be successful by today’s standards in as far as they
achieved “The American Dream.”
Economic Success
According to Steve Hamm (2012), to measure economic success, we should
consider augmenting GDP with gross national happiness. In 1972, King O f Bhutan,
Jigme Singve Wangchuck, coined the intriguing term “gross national happiness.” He was
launching a modernization campaign for the tiny Himalayan kingdom, but wanted to
embrace modernity without sacrificing his country’s traditional values. Since then, the
Bhutan-based think tank Centre for Bhutan Studies has developed a sophisticated method
for measuring a population’s general level of well-being. The method is considered in
government planning and as a sort of environmental impact statement whenever the
kingdom considers a major new initiative. It may be time to follow Bhutan’s lead and
broaden the ways we define economic success. In fact, Sergio Borger and other scientists
at IBM Research - Brazil are thinking along these lines. They’re trying to come up with a
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way o f accurately measuring the quality of life in a city.
Outside Bhutan, the gross national happiness (GNH) index hasn’t had much
impact. Until now, that is. In addition to the small team of scientists at IBM, others are
reconsidering our traditional methods for measuring economic success. Last year, for
instance, the United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution calling for
government leaders to consider happiness as part of a “holistic approach to
development.”
On a smaller scale, the city of Seattle has turned the pursuit o f a broader definition
o f prosperity into a grassroots community campaign. Through a Happiness Initiative,
Seattle’s leaders conducted a citywide online survey of citizen satisfaction with their
lives. The results of the survey have been discussed in town meetings. The Seattle City
Council has promised to consult the survey data and proposals that come out of the
meetings when it makes budgetary and policy decisions.
We need to rethink our definitions of economic success because the 20th Century
approaches alone are no longer sustainable. It’s becoming clear that prosperity should no
longer be measured solely or even primarily based on how much people produce or
consume. As the global human population swells beyond seven billion, there simply
won’t be enough natural resources to go around. Meanwhile, the burning of fossil fuels
threatens to cause devastating global warming.
So countries and communities need to transition toward socio-economic systems
that do not rely on ever-increasing numbers of people and consumption to maintain
economic vitality. Instead, we should seek new definitions of economic success focused
more on the quality o f life, including happiness, health, peace, freedom, cooperation and
opportunities for self-determination and self-expression.

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This shift would represent a huge transition for society-huge challenges for
political systems and human psychology. In addition, we’d face the complex operational
tasks o f developing standards and metrics for measuring these values, tracking the
metrics and designing mechanisms for continually improving them. But it would be well
worth the effort if we can avoid environmental Armageddon and endless wars over
resources.
Career Success
Career success can be defined as the real or perceived achievements individuals
have accumulated as a result of their work experiences (Judge, Cable, Boudreau, & Bretz,
1995). Most research has divided career success into extrinsic and intrinsic components
(see also Khapova, Arthur, & Wilderom, Chapter 7; Guest & Sturges, Chapter 16).
Extrinsic success is relatively objective and observable and typically consists of highly
tangible outcomes such as pay and ascendancy (Jaskolka, Beyer, & Trice, 1985).
Conversely, intrinsic success is defined as individuals’ subjective appraisal of
their success and is most commonly expressed in terms o f job, career, or life satisfaction
(Gattiker & Larwood, 1988; Judge et al., 1995). Research confirms the idea that extrinsic
and intrinsic career success can be assessed as relatively independent outcomes, as they
are only moderately correlated (Judge & Bretz, 1994).
The three criteria most commonly used to index extrinsic career success are: (a)
salary or income, (b) ascendancy or number of promotions, and (c) occupational status.
The last factor is perhaps the most intriguing. Occupational status can be viewed as a
reflection o f societal perceptions of the power and authority afforded by the job (Blaikie,
1977; Schooler & Schoenbach, 1994). Occupational status has long been studied in
sociology as a measure o f occupational stratification (the sorting of individuals into

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occupations of differential power and prestige).
Sociologists have gone so far as to conclude that occupational status measures
“reflect the classical sociological hypothesis that occupational status constitutes the single
most important dimension in social interaction” (Ganzeboom & Treiman, 1996, p. 203)
and to term occupational status as sociology’s “great empirical invariant” (Featherman,
Jones, & Hauser, 1975, p. 331). The required educational skills, the potential extrinsic
rewards offered by the occupation, and the ability to contribute to society through work
performance are the most important contributors to occupational status (Blaikie, 1977).
As a result, sociologists often view occupational status as the most important sign of
success in contemporary society (Korman, Mahler, & Omran, 1983). Viewed from this
perspective, occupational status indicates extrinsic success because of its prestige and
because it conveys increased job-related responsibilities and rewards (Poole, Langan-
Fox, & Omodei, 1993).
Intrinsic career success is measured in several distinct ways. The most common
marker for intrinsic career success is a subjective rating of one’s satisfaction with one’s
career. Items that fit under the career satisfaction umbrella ask respondents to directly
indicate how they feel about their careers in general, whether they believe that they have
accomplished the things that they want to in their careers or if they believe that their
future prospects in their careers are good (e.g., Boudreau, Boswell, & Judge, 2001; Judge,
Higgins, Thoresen, & Barrick, 1999; Seibert & Kraimer, 2001). Job satisfaction is often
closely related to career satisfaction, but there are some important differences.
Particularly, job satisfaction usually is directed around one’s immediate emotional
reactions to one’s current job, whereas career satisfaction is a broader reflection of one’s
satisfaction with both past and future work history taken as a whole.
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Christie (2012) a career coach posed several queries about career success. He
suggested that the most important career and life-planning activity you can engage in is
finding your own definitions or models of success. He observed: “If you have not done
this, how do you know what's best for you? How can you make career decisions if you
aren't crystal clear about how you define success? How can you be happy if you don't
know when you're successful?” (p. 1)
In addition, Christie (2012) asked the question successful on whose terms? If you
haven’t taken the time to define it, success has already been defined for you. You're
already following models o f career and life success. The question is whether they are
your own, or ones you inherited. One of your greatest career challenges is identifying
goals and definitions o f success that are true to you rather than ones you inherited from
family, society and other outside forces. Your current model of success may or may not
work for you. The important thing is the understanding of your assumptions and
questioning them.
If you follow a path to success that isn't your own, you may achieve your goals,
but when you arrive at your destination, you may not feel successful or fulfilled at all.
Keep in mind that your existing job may hold the key to your happiness. For example, if
you were to discover that making your customers happy was the one thing that defines
and inspires you, what would that do to your focus and state of mind?
One definition of success that puts this philosophy into simple words comes from
American author Christopher Morley, who wrote: “There is only one success, to be able
to spend your life in your own way.” Being clear about how you define success will reap
immeasurable rewards.
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Qualities o f Successful People
This theme was seen again a half-century later in Steven Covey’s 1989 book The
Seven Habits o f Highly Effective People. Covey’s book examines how we cannot simply
train people in techniques while neglecting the development of character intelligence.
According to Bennis and Nanus (1997), the qualities of successful people include:
self-determination, persistence and self-knowledge, willingness to take risks and accept
losses, commitment, consistency, and challenge. Above all, that most successful people
were able to identify a small number o f mentors and key experiences that powerfully
shaped their philosophies, personalities, aspirations and operating styles. All of them
regarded themselves as stretching, growing and breaking new ground. The skills common
to successful individuals included: acknowledging and sharing uncertainty, embracing
error, responding to the future, becoming interpersonally competent (listening, nurturing,
coping with value conflicts) and gaining self-knowledge.
The Millionaire Mind is a book written by Thomas Stanley (2001) who surveyed
733 multimillionaires to rate 30 success factors and he found that millionaires tell us that
they learned in school that influenced them in becoming economically productive adults
did not come from textbooks. Most say that the lessons they learned had to do with
tenacity, getting along with people, self-discipline, and discernment. Only 12 percent of
the millionaires indicated that luck had anything to do with economic success. As
opposed to 57 percent that citied “being well disciplined” and “working harder than most
people” (47%) as most important. Leadership qualities and tenacity outpace all the whiz
kids in school and that is what many millionaire respondents have actually accomplished.
“Only two percent of millionaires surveyed indicated being in the top 1 percent of their
class influenced their success. Out of the ones who graduated college, 90 percent
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graduated college with less than an overall GPA of 2.9” (p. 13).
Developing a strong work ethic was the most citied experience as influencing
them to become economically productive adults. Working hard and networking were
cited as the top experiences that influenced millionaires in becoming economically
productive adults. Millionaires’ experiences point to the relationships they developed
around them that in some way helped them to do better. They agree that no one can be
successful without the help of others.
Surmounting obstacles with the hard journey gave them the foundation for
becoming successful. They seem to have developed immunity to criticism that was
developed during the younger years and have learned how to not take criticism personally
and how to persevere in-spite of it. Resilience for self-made millionaires was fostered in
self-confidence and positive thinking which played a great role in explaining their
success.
Stanley (2001) found that a minority of self-made millionaires, possess high IQ,
SAT and GPA scores, and attended a top university. Common traits among self-made
millionaires were mediocre school and test performances, and were told by school
personnel, “You are not intellectually gifted” (p. 14). Grades in school only predict how
well one will do on aptitude tests and aptitude tests only predict how well one will do in
academic endeavors. Neither predicts how well you will do in the working world
(Stanley, 2001).
“People with creative intelligence are among the most economically successful
people in America” (Sternberg, 1996, p. 16) He observed intelligence had three
components: analytical intelligence, creative intelligence, and practical intelligence
(common sense). Sternberg noted that creative people loved their chosen vocations, and
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this emotional attachment to their work was one of the main reasons they succeeded in
life.
It’s the passion for the career that keeps them going, overcoming obstacles that
would have ordinarily paralyzed them. Creative people know what to do when one door
closes. They try another way to succeed. They seem to know their strengths as well as
their shortcomings.
As John Dewey noted in his observations of the poor thinking o f well-educated
persons, “Knowledge o f methods alone will not suffice; there must be the desire, the will
to employ them; this desire is an affair of personal disposition” (Stanley, 2001, p. 107).
Mayer (2002) found that there are five characteristics that highly successful
people have in common:
1. They have a dream
2. They have a plan
3. They have specific knowledge or training
4. They’re willing to work hard
5. They don’t take no for an answer, (p. 5)
Ability and Dispositions
Ritchart (2002) speaks to us not about how intelligent we are, but how we use our
intelligence to become successful. He states:
Intellectual character is: an overarching term to describe a set of dispositions that
not only shape but also motivate intellectual behavior. Character implies a consistent
deployment of abilities so that patterns of behavior are established overtime. Character
builds on beliefs, attitudes, temperaments, and tendencies but is also developable and
must be nurtured by the environment, (p. 28)

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Dispositions are the mechanisms by which we bridge the action-ability gap.
Dispositions consist o f a general propensity consisting of values, beliefs, and underlying
temperaments; an awareness o f occasions for appropriate action; motivation to carry
through with an appropriate action; and essential abilities and skills needed to perform.
Ritchart goes on to point out that dispositions are not so much taught, as they are en-
cultured. He says, “Dispositions develop in a meaningful sociocultural context in which
we internalize external triggers - such as prompts, scaffolds, rewards, incentives, and
encouragement over time” (p. 29).
Self-Determination
Self-determination is associated with greater quality of life (Wehmeyer &
Schwartz, 1998), and more positive adult outcomes (Wehemeyer & Schwartz, 1997).
According to Bennis and Nanus, one of the foremost qualities of successful people was
self-determination and the willingness to leam. According to Combs & Ahmed (1974),
informal learning is education that is unorganized, unsystematic and even unintentional at
times, yet accounts for the great bulk of any person’s total lifetime learning. A
combination o f resiliency, self-determination, and being open to informal learning seem
to point to the process leading to success.
Self-Reliance
As stated by Haracz (2012), self-reliance is a strong belief that you are capable of
successfully dealing with the challenges that life throws at you, and that you are able to
take guidance from yourself rather than from other people or other things. Put another
way, self-reliance means having the ability and courage to listen to oneself, and to act,
rather than letting other people, things, or events decide what you should do, be, or have.
Self-reliant people, therefore, realize and accept that they are completely responsible for
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their lives, and that if they want something done, then they must do it themselves. When
people are able to listen to themselves and follow their own intuition, only then will they
be able to trust in themselves and steer their lives in the direction they want it to go.
Unfortunately, just when adolescents are in need o f these opportunities, middle schools
are unprepared to provide this for them (Carnegie Council on Adolescent Development,
1989; Eccles & Midgley, 1989). Several studies, which analyzed adolescents’
experiences in school, found that perceptions of academic competence, values and course
grades grew more negative during this time (Carnegie Council on Adolescent
Development, 1995; Eccles et al., 1993; Midgley et al., 1988).
Kinard (1998) indicated that intelligence tests and grades in school are
commonly associated with resilience and cognitive functioning. He
further mentioned: the problem, which can be encountered with
standardized intelligence tests, is that these tests can be culture biased
which may result in invalid information. The adult orphans who achieved
success embraced the above-mentioned achievement and work ethic skills
they established in their childhood, which transferred to theirachieving
success in adult life. (p. 672).
Wigfield and Eccles (1994) report students in the sixth through ninth grades have
shown a dramatic decline in achievement, especially in the seventh grade. During
adolescence, students also experience increasing academic pressures (Domagala-Zysk,
2006). Those who have higher self-efficacy about being able to manage the task under
difficult circumstances are expected to have a higher probability of succeeding even if
their peers have a comparable skill level (Zimmerman & Cleary, 2006). A review of the
related literature suggests that successful adult orphans encountered and overcame many
obstacles to succeed.
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Self-Actualization
Humanistic psychologists such as Maslow (1970) believed that every person has a
strong desire to realize his or her full potential, to reach a level of self-actualization. The
main point of that new movement, that reached its peak in 1960s, was to emphasize the
positive potential of human beings. Maslow positioned his work as a vital complement
to that of Freud:
It is as if Freud supplied us the sick half of psychology and we must now

fill it out with the healthy half.
However, Maslow was highly critical of Freud, since humanistic

psychologists did not recognize spirituality as navigation for our
behaviors.
To prove that humans are not simply blindly reacting to situations, but
trying to accomplish something greater, Maslow studied mentally healthy
individuals instead o f people with serious psychological issues. He
focused on self-actualizing people. Self-actualizing people indicate a
coherent personality syndrome and represent optimal psychological health
and functioning.
This informed his theory that a person enjoys “peak experiences,” high
points in life when the individual is in harmony with himself and his
surroundings. In Maslow’s view, self-actualized people can have many
peak experiences throughout a day while others have those experiences
less frequently, (p. 14)
Abraham Harold Maslow was an American psychologist who was best known for
creating Maslow's hierarchy of needs, a theory o f psychological health predicated on
fulfilling innate human needs in priority, culminating in self-actualization. Maslow was
a psychology professor at Brandeis University, Brooklyn College, New School for Social
Research and Columbia University. He stressed the importance of focusing on the
positive qualities in people, as opposed to treating them as a “bag of symptoms” (pp. 9-

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Summary
Self-determination is associated with greater quality of life (Wehmeyer &
Schwartz, 1998) and more positive adult outcomes (Wehemeyer & Schwartz, 1997). One
of the foremost qualities of successful people, according to Bennis and Nanus is self-
determined and a willingness to leam. According to Combs and Ahmed (1974), informal
learning is education that is unorganized, unsystematic and even unintentional at times,
yet accounts for the great bulk of any person’s total life learning. Dannenfelser (2003)
found, “A combination o f resiliency, self-determination and being open to informal
learning seem to point to the process leading to success” (p. 50). Beard (2006) observed
through a qualitative methodological study that faculty should promote optimal student
faculty relationships, should serve as mentors, should provide academic support and
advisement, and should focus on pedagogy that considered the cultural diversity of
students, in order to increase multicultural minority retention and graduation rates
(p. 42).
Miller (2006) demonstrated how and why family heritage, linage and history
knowledge interplay with persistence factors of resiliency, institutional engagement, and
institutional commitment among successful college students. Miller’s study utilized a
mixed methodology to analyze the association of family history knowledge and cultural
change with persistence among undergraduate low-income first generation college
students. One major finding was the ability to break family patterns through a desire for
personal growth and the value in education (p. 44).
From a social action perspective, this study will add to the body of research of a
disadvantaged group. Banks (2001) promoted the importance of social action research.
The purpose is to build a body of literature in the arena that supports legislative action
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and funding toward program enhancement, thus assisting the multicultural orphans and
disadvantaged population in the pursuit of higher education. The comparative analysis of
the male and female participants could be assessed and utilized to incorporate innovative
strategies and techniques to assist in preparing the orphans to succeed in education and
life.
This study will contribute to a deeper understanding of how societal behaviors can
be modeled in education to promote the orphan students’ efficacy and achievement.
Furthermore, this study will examine the role the educational system played in the
participants’ lives. Orphans who are multicultural male and female members of the
primary racial and ethnic groups in the United States of America and Australia will be
selected as the participants in this study.
Chapter Three provides an explanation on how the methodology of this study was
constructed and implemented.

CHAPTER III
RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY
Introduction
This chapter presents the research method and procedures that were used in
conducting the study. The purpose of this study was to identify and evaluate common
factors that successful multicultural adult orphans who were not adopted developed that
contributed to their becoming successful in their careers. This study examined their lives
from birth to their present prominent status. Common and unique factors that contributed
to their success in their careers and in their personal histories were probed in the
interview protocol developed for this study.
The lack o f parental guidance, concern and support as the participants navigated
their way through life and their adaptations and dispositions may help researchers to
understand their journey. Furthermore, the study examined relationships that were forged
inside and outside of school that contributed to the participants’ journey.
As noted by Bruner, (1987), Clandinin and Connelly, (2000), and Merriam (2002)
a narrative framework is the best way for readers to understand the experiences of
orphans.
This qualitative study was an initial investigation of multicultural and ethnically
diverse orphans who were not adopted and how they became successful, productive and
responsible contributing members of society.

Ill
Research Questions
The following research questions guided this study:
responsible and productive lives and careers describe in their narrative about their
childhood?
How did the respondents employ motivation and strategic thinking in their lives?
How did the adult orphans describe of teacher behaviors, their trust in teachers
and education in general?
education, faith in divine design, self-concept, career efforts, coping strategies,
motivation, mentors and counselors?

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How did Caucasian and ethnically diverse respondents compare in their
descriptions o f childhood, education, faith in divine design, self-concept, career efforts,
coping strategies, motivation, mentors and counselors?
Selection of Participants
The target population in this qualitative study consisted of six male and six female
successful multicultural adult orphans who were not adopted. According to Patton
(1987), purposeful sampling can be done to increase the utility of information obtained
from small samples. Participants were chosen because they were knowledgeable about
the phenomenon of being an adult orphan and could provide the insights and
articulateness for the desired richness of qualitative data (Gay & Airasian, 2003).
The criteria for selection were twofold. First the participants were considered to
be successful by today’s standards in so far as they achieved gainful employment
resulting in their successfully supporting themselves and their families. They were
financially secure and not dependent upon supplemental income support from
government social services.
Second, the participants were identified by authorship of a biography,
autobiographical book, or their own article about their lived experience and by peer
nomination from a knowledgeable adult professional researcher who verified the personal
history and accomplishments of the nominees. In addition, the participants were asked if
they were willing to participate in this study, and if they were, they would be guaranteed
confidentiality.
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The study was originally designed for eight participants. This approach was
intended to support a minimum number o f participants from each group to answer the
research questions. A large response from the multicultural adult orphans led to the
revision of this study.
More than 50 multicultural adult orphans were identified for the purpose of this
study; however, after careful screening, 42 invitations were sent out to prospective or
potential participants who met the criteria for selection for this research study.
While 20 out o f 42 respondents agreed to be a participant in this research study,
eighteen were interviewed. Out of the 18 participants, interviewed 16 were scrutinized
and a total of 12 participants were purposely selected and actually participated in this
study.
A mutually agreed upon alias was chosen to protect their identities. Twelve
multicultural adult orphans were included in the study. From each group o f Caucasian
and Ethnically Diverse participants, three male and three female participants were
selected as illustrated in Table 3.1.
Table 3.1
Selection o f Participants
Multicultural Adult Orphans
Male 6 Female 6
Caucasian 3 Caucasian 3
Ethnically Diverse 3 Ethnically Diverse 3

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Setting
The information was obtained through interviews with a cross section of twelve
multicultural adult orphans who were not adopted. Participants were from the United
States o f America and Australia. Each of the adult orphans has successful careers in
business, education, law, and medical or healthcare. The orphan adults were nominated
by others or through an analysis of biographies, autobiographies, or their own articles
about the lives of orphans who achieved successful productive and responsible lives.
Data Collection Techniques
This was a qualitative study using case study methodology through an inquiry
instrument. The qualitative nature consisted of an interview protocol of 22 questions
(Appendix A). Rapport and trust were established at the beginning of the interview.
Early in the process, the participants were informed of the purpose of the study. The
nature of the study was discussed and the plans for the use of the results were disclosed.
Assurances were made that what was said in the interview would be treated with
confidentiality. Interviewees were asked to sign an informed consent form (Appendix C)
and were offered a copy o f the research report upon completion of the study. Some of the
questions were structured and the other questions were semi-structured where the focus
centered on a topic or was guided by general questions. This allowed conversation to
develop and produce the rich data.
The participants chose their own way of expressing their own thoughts. The
researcher acted as listener and recorder. Everything that the person said was recorded
on audiotape. The researcher remained objective and free from emotion or reaction to
what was said by the person being interviewed. Responses were treated as perceptions
rather than facts.

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One interview was conducted in person, three interviews were conducted by
telephone, one interview was conducted by e-mail, three interviews were conducted by
iPad face time and four interviews were conducted by Skype technology. The addendum
questions were all conducted by telephone and Skype technology.
The participants’ method of interview distribution is illustrated in Table 3.2.
Table 3.2
Participants ’Interviews
Interview Method
Method Number
In Person 1
Telephone 3
E-Mail 1
iPad Face Time 3
Skype Technology 4
Instrument
The instrument was an interview protocol consisting of 22 questions. The initial
question dealt with the participants’ life story.
In-depth, semi-structured interviews with individuals were conducted in person,
by telephone, Skype technology, e-mail, or iPad Face Time. Data were collected and
analyzed through their interviews, writings, journals, field notes, memorable quotes and
other archival retrieval entities. The questions were formulated within an interview
protocol (Appendix A). The interviewer employed follow-up questions as deemed
appropriate. The responses were recorded verbatim by audiotape. Anecdotal notes were
taken by the researcher and included in the data collection.

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The researcher assumed the role of the interviewer. The study began with an
explanation to the participants of the purpose of the study and the reason for their
selection. Confidentiality was discussed and determined. All participants were
interviewed at a mutually agreeable place and time. Each semi-structured interview
session was conducted with open-ended, free flowing questions evoking events, feelings
and subject perspectives. Each interview lasted approximately one and a half hours, with
none of them exceeding two hours per interview session. Audio taping of the interviews
was conducted with participant approval.
The interviews were twofold: initial questions guiding the interviews came from
a comprehensive review o f the pertinent literature. They were centered on the feelings
and perspective of events leading to the participants’ current prominent life status and the
events and incidents leading to success. Questions focused on the participant’ lives while
in school and pursued personal, familial, social, emotional and educational history.
The protocol also dealt with questions concerning the qualities of successful
people, leadership styles, the position and the level of experience that most adult orphans
possess at the time of their life transformation. The remainder of the questions focused
on their lives after their exit from school and the events leading to their successful lives.
Additionally, the study pursued personal, familial, professional and outside influences
such as mentors, role models, along with informal learning experiences.
Content Validity
A jury of professionals who had experience with orphans and at-risk youth
examined the study questions for clarity and appropriateness to the defined variables in
this study. Additionally, the anecdotal data and subsequent patterns and discrepancies
that were identified by the researcher, were verified by an independent expert reviewer
117
who examined the data and results posted in the NVivo 10 software analysis.
Table 3.3
Interview Protocol and Variables
Question Variable
1. Please tell me your life history. Self-Concept
1.1 What do you remember about your childhood?

1.2 How would you describe your school experience?
1.3 How would you describe your work history?
1.4 How would you describe your family life?
1.5 How would you describe your career success?
1.6 How would you describe who you are at this point in your life cycle?
2. What ethnic, racial or cultural groups would you say you

affiliate with? Knowledge of Heritage
3. At what age did you become an orphan? Knowledge of Heritage
4. How did you become an orphan? Knowledge of Heritage
5. How do you cope with challenges? Strategy
6. How do you feel about being an orphan? Self-Concept
6.1 How do you manage yourself? Self-Management
7. Please describe the environment you grew up in? Adaptation to Adversity
7.1 How did you deal with any difficulty you encountered? Adaptation to Adversity
8. How would you describe your knowledge of your

personal heritage? Knowledge of Heritage
9. What were some of the major barriers and obstacles

you overcame in relation to being an orphan? Adaptation to Adversity
10. What do you believe are the issues that affect

orphans' ability to succeed in life? Obstacles, Barriers or Contributors
11. Please describe how any mentor or role model

influenced you? Mentors and Role Models
12. What role did the educational system play in your

development and success? Academic Self-Efficacy
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Table 3.3 (continued)

Interview Protocol and Variables
Question Variable
13. Please describe your relationship with teachers? Teacher-Student Relationships
13.1 How trustworthy do you feel your teachers were? Trust of Teachers
13.2 In what way did you develop their trust?
13.3 In what way did they develop your trust?
13.4 In what way did they inspire or encourage you?
13.5 In what way did they discourage you? Teacher-Student Relationships
14. How would you describe your academic capabilities? Academic Self-Efficacy
15. How would you describe your personal self-management? Self-Management
15.1 What types of self-management strategies

do you utilize now? Strategic Thinking
16. Did your estimation of yourself change overtime? How? Self-Efficacy
17. How would you describe your adaption to adversity? Adaptation to Adversity
17.1 What types of peer pressure did you encounter?

17.2 How would you describe both negative and positive peer pressure?
17.3 How did you respond to adverse situations?
18. What kinds of strategies did you employ to achieve your

current position? Strategic Thinking
19. How would you describe your feelings and emotions at

work and at home? Emotional Intelligence
19.1 How do you deal with your feelings? Emotional Intelligence
20. What were some of the tactics that helped you

navigate your way through adversity to success? Tactic Knowledge
21. How did you adjust your efforts to learn? Self-Regulated Learning
21.1 What were some of the challenges you encountered?

21.2 What were some of the methods you employed when
you encountered challenging subjects? Self-Regulated Learning
22. What were the motivators underlying your success? Motivation

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Interview Protocol
A semi-structured narrative interview protocol consisting of 22 questions was
utilized. One and a half hours was allotted for each interview. The protocol questions
addressed the participants’ life history from birth through adulthood, and included their
current life status. Table 3.3 illustrates the interview protocol.
Data Collection Procedures
The participants interviewed were initially contacted with a description of the
study and a request to be interviewed by e-mail. They received confirmation, verifying
participation, by telephone and a letter, at which point a date was set for the interview to
take place. A discussion o f the type o f interview as well as location where the interview
would take place assured participants that interruptions and distractions would not occur
during the interview. The interviews were audio digitally recorded and field notes were
taken by the researcher in order to gather information and data pertinent to the details of
the interview including intonations of voice.
Data Analysis
The method of data analysis was interpretational and reflective using interviews,
observations, and anecdotal notes. Archival data was utilized with the participants’
permission. Interpretational analysis refers to examining the data for constructs, patterns,
themes, and discrepancies that could be used to describe and explain the phenomenon
studied. Reflective analysis refers to using primarily intuition and judgment to portray or
evaluate the phenomenon (Gall et al., 1996).
After each interview session, the researcher reviewed the recorded tapes,
transcribed them, and summarized the participants’ answers to the questions, looking for
patterns, themes, and discrepancies among the participants. The answers were
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categorized. The categories for Part I questions were: self-perception themes while in
school; academic performance patterns; relationships in and out of school; family
patterns; and push/pull factors leading up to their current successful careers. Part II
answers were categorized by the participants’ feelings, thoughts and concerns; self-view
in the working world; patterns and themes of outside influences; patterns and themes of
internal motivational factors; and recommendations to improve opportunities for at-risk
orphans. Part III consisted of a demographic questions for the participants.
Anecdotal notes were summarized after interviews and examined for hidden
feelings expressed through answers to questions. Avoidance of particular topics was
examined for possible subconscious feelings regarding the whole experience. Research
questions one through seven were analyzed for themes, patterns, similarities and
discrepancies that the participants reveal in their commentaries.
An independent trained expert in qualitative research verified that the patterns and
discrepancies identified among the commentaries under examination appeared in the
results produced in the NVivo 10 analysis software procedures.
The following nine research questions guided this study:
childhood?

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Research question eight was analyzed by contrasting comments from male and
female respondents.
How did Caucasian and ethnically diverse respondents compare in their
descriptions of childhood, education, faith in divine design, self-concept, career efforts,
Research question nine was analyzed by contrasting comments from Caucasian
and Ethnically Diverse respondents.

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Validity
Altheide and Johnson (1994) discussed four types of “interpretive validity” that
should be used to judge the validity of qualitative research: usefulness, contextual
completeness, research positioning, and reporting style.
Themes, patterns, and discrepancies were noted in the data collection from the
subject, enhancing credibility. The participants reviewed their own commentary for
accuracy and completeness that enabled the researcher to construct the participants’
perspective and lead to corrections, revisions, or additional insights. NVivo 10 software
analysis was utilized to identify themes, similarities, discrepancies and unique responses
associated with respondents as a whole or as members of a referent gender group.
To ensure the semi-structured interview protocol examined the dimensions under
study, a pilot interview was conducted with an expert in qualitative research as well as
NVivo Software analysis for qualitative research. The expert in qualitative research
methods performed an audit trail to verify the interpretation of the themes, patterns, and
discrepancies, which emerged from the pilot interview. Interview questions, including
probing questions, were modified based on the results of the pilot interview.
Reliability
A study’s “trustworthiness” is increased when data analysis and conclusions are
triangulated; subjects’ perceptions are verified in a systematic manner; and the project’s
data chain of evidence are established (Gall, Borg, & Gall, 1996, p. 204).
A three-part analysis was used to satisfy reliability. The first part of analysis was
met with the transcription o f the participants’ audiotapes satisfying the reporting style in
such a way as to make an authentic reconstruction of the participants’ perception of
events. The second part was member checking, which was accomplished by having the
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participants review the research report for accuracy and completeness. The third part was
the establishment o f a strong chain of evidence among the questions, data collected, and
findings. A third party expert trained in content analysis was utilized to verify themes,
patterns, similarities and discrepancies among and between the participants.
Data Analysis
The researcher conducted a phenomenological exploratory study using a semi
structured interview protocol that was grounded in the research literature. The
interviews were transcribed and coded based on emergent themes. Once the data was
coded, based on the themes, units of text from the interviews supporting the themes were
generated. The units of text were further analyzed searching for emergent themes,
patterns, and discrepancies. The emergent themes, patterns, and discrepancies from the
analyzed data were used to answer the 22 interview protocol questions.
Interview Protocol
A semi-structured narrative interview protocol consisting o f 22 questions was
utilized. A demographic questionnaire consisting of eight questions was also utilized.
One and a half hours was allotted for each interview. The protocol questions addressed
the participants’ life history from birth, childhood, adolescence, adulthood and their
current life status.
Interview Protocol
1. Please tell me your life history.

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2. What ethnic, racial or cultural groups would you say you affiliate with?
3. At what age did you become an orphan?
4. How did you become an orphan?
5. How do you cope with challenges?
6. How do you feel about being an orphan?
6.1 How do you manage yourself?
7. Please describe the environment you grew up in?
7.1 How did you deal with any difficulty you encountered?
8. How would you describe your knowledge of your personal heritage?
9. What were some of the major barriers and obstacles you overcame in relation to being
an orphan?
10. What do you believe are the issues that affect orphans’ ability to succeed in life?
11. Please describe how any mentor or role model influenced you?
12. What role did the educational system play in your development and success?
13. Please describe your relationship with teachers?
13.1 How trustworthy do you feel your teachers were?

13.5 In what way did they discourage you?
14. How would you describe your academic capabilities?
15. How would you describe your personal self-management?
15.1 What types o f self-management strategies do you utilize now?
16. Did your estimation o f yourself change overtime? How?
17. Describe your adaption to adversity?

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17.3 How do you respond to adverse situations?
18. What kinds of strategies did you employ to achieve your current position?
19. How would you describe your feelings and emotions at work and at home?
19.1 How do you deal with your feelings?
20. What were some of the tactics that helped you navigate your way through adversity to
success?
21. How did you adjust your efforts to learn?

21.2 What were some of the methods you employed when you encountered
challenging subjects?
22. What were the motivators underlying your success?
Demographic Questionnaire
A demographic questionnaire consisting of eight questions was utilized to
determine the demographics o f the participants by achievement, gender, race or ethnicity
and age. Other relevant questions were, years of being an orphan, career achievement,
years o f success, highest earned degree and state of residency.
Multicultural Adult Orphan Demographic Questionnaire
Please complete the following questions
1. How long have you been an orphan?

2. What is your race or ethnicity?
3. What is your gender?
4. What is your age?
5. What is your highest educational degree?
6. How many years have you been successful?
7. Are you in business, education, law, medicine or health Care?
8. What state do you reside in?
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Demographic Data
The tapes o f the interviews were professionally transcribed utilizing Express
Scribe software into research data notes to be evaluated and categorized by the researcher
for themes, patterns, commonalities and discrepancies. Codes based on key issues and
themes observed in the data were developed. As data were collected, certain words,
phrases, patterns, memorable quotes and ways of thinking stood out. Data were searched
for regularities and patterns and topics. These were coded with words or phrases to
represent topics and became coding categories. In this way, material concerning the topic
was separated for analysis. In order to add dimension of objectivity to the analysis
process, triangulation was added to the process. The notes of the interviews were coded
by a group of three jurors who were not personally involved in the study.
Table 3.4
Themes
C h ild h o o d E d u catio n F aith in C aree r S elf-C o n c e p t C o p in g M o tivation M en to r/

D ivine E fforts C o u n se lo r
D esign
Feel S ch o o l H igher C u ltu re S trateg y S elf- E m otional A d vising

E x p erien ce Pow er A ffiliation R eg u lated In tellig en ce
O rp h a n e d
D eal w ith
L e arning M en to rin g
W ork D ifficulty
C h ild h o o d M u lticu ltu ral S e lf-E ffic ac y
D ev elo p m en t E d u catio n F e llo w sh ip P ersonal P ersonal T actic C o u n se lin g
S tages H eritage M an a g e m e n t K now led g e S p o n so rs
A cad em ic S piritual
A d v ersity S e lf-E ffic ac y G u id an ce K now ledge A c ad e m ic C o p in g M en to rs and
o f H eritage S e lf-C o n c e p t
S trategies R ole M odel
T ran sfo rm ati T e ach er- Su p rem e
Sense Self-
on S tu d en t B eing of M an a g e m e n t S trateg ic F a c ilita to r
R elatio n sh ip P urpose T h in k in g
D ivine S ource C oach
T ru st o f In terv en tio n of O b stac le s,
T each ers S elf- B arriers and
Identity
C o n trib u to rs
Triangulation o f the finding was done to ensure that the researcher was not biased
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in the interpretation o f the variables. The jurors who triangulated the transcribed
interviews coded the notes as a comparison to the researcher’s codes. The researcher
then was able to look for common themes that appeared in the data gleaned from both the
coding o f the researcher and from the coding of the jurors. Table 3.4 illustrates the eight
emergent themes.
The eight emergent themes of childhood, education, faith in divine design, career,
self-concept, coping, motivation, and mentors and counselors are illustrated in Table 3.4
Chapter Four will present the data analysis through the themes, patterns and
discrepancies that emerged.

CHAPTER IV
DATA ANALYSIS AND FINDINGS
Introduction
were not adopted and their adaptations to adversity that enabled them to achieve highly
their sense o f emotional intelligence and their strategies to overcome the barriers they
encountered throughout their lives were investigated.
The interviews were framed by nine major research questions:
Research Questions
responsible and productive lives describe in their narrative about their childhood?

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coping strategies, motivation, mentors, and counselors?
Demographic Analysis
The demographic section describes information about ethnicity and level of
education. The participants were Caucasian American/White, African American/Black,
Asian American, Hispanic American/Latino Native American and Aboriginal/Australian.
The level o f education was measured by the highest educational degree the participant
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earned. The categories were High School Diploma, Certificate, Associate’s degree,
Bachelor’s degree, Master’s degree and Doctorate degree or post Doctorate.
Distribution of Participants
The study consisted of a small purposeful sample of 12 multicultural and
ethnically diverse adult orphans who were not adopted and who had written about their
lives. The participants were identified by authorship of a biography, autobiographical
book, or article about their lived experience and by peer nomination from a
knowledgeable adult professional researcher who verified the personal history and
accomplishments of the nominees.
The participants were asked if they were willing to participate in this study and
were guaranteed confidentiality. A mutually agreed upon alias was chosen to protect
their identity.
The 12 multicultural adult orphans included in the study were Caucasian and
ethnically diverse participants, three Caucasian male and three Caucasian female
participants and three ethnically diverse male and three ethnically diverse female
participants were selected as noted in Table 3.1.
This study was conducted by interviewing the 12 participants in November and
December o f 2012 and January and February of 2013. The addendum question with
probes interviews were conducted in March 2013.
There were six male and six female participants, between the ages o f 40 to 70. A
qualitative design was utilized for this research. A semi-structured interview protocol
focused on a 22-item question protocol that addressed the research questions. (Appendix
A). In addition, there was an addendum question with two probes.

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At the time o f the interview, the researcher briefed the research participants about
the purpose of the research and their place in it by reviewing the instructions and the
informed consent form, eliciting any ambiguities, questions or concerns. The interviews
lasted between one to one and a half hours.
Verbal interviews were conducted in person, face-to face, by email, telephone,
iPad Face Time and Skype technology. The text from the interviews that were digitally
audiotaped, transcribed and the responses were analyzed utilizing the NVivo 10
Qualitative Data Analysis Software Program by QSR Ltd. Australia.
NVivo 10 assisted in the analysis and examination of the subjects’ individual and
collective responses to the interview protocol questions. The text of the responses to
each individual question from all participants was selected and processed through various
queries. Simple frequency queries were run to identify repetitive, and then related key
words with similar meanings from the participants to each question. NVivo’s word
cluster analysis and tree map were utilized to identify key words.
In order to identify the data analysis findings the audiotapes were transcribed
through Express Scribe Transcription software and imputed in the NVivo 10 software
analysis for qualitative research. The findings in this chapter were drawn from the
participants’ own experiences, reflections, and views to shed light on these topics and add
richness to the existing body knowledge of orphans. The findings are described here, as
well as supporting data in the form of memorable quotes from the verbal information
collected.
The researcher also manually reviewed all the transcribed data to identify key
words. Additionally queries were used to extract similar responses and then determine
emerging themes and patterns. NVivo tree map and cluster analysis features were
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utilized to identify which key words stemmed from or were related to other words. The
researcher then reviewed synonyms and meanings for the terms for more accurate
definitions.
The study encompassed the two main data sets by means of a descriptive analysis
of the participants. The initial analysis provided an understanding of the narrative form,
including personal attributes o f humor, seriousness, latent anger, frustrations and
hopefulness.
This chapter presented the key findings of the study and is organized around the
following concepts: the distribution and demographics of the participants, setting, racial
and ethnic origin and gender of the participants, role of the educational systems, heritage
and cultural awareness, academic achievement and multicultural and ethnically diversity.
This chapter began with an overview o f the participants’ demographics including
gender, age, years of being an orphan, racial and ethnic identity, achievement, years of
economic and career success as well as the state of residence and their current status in
life. The participants were identified numerically with the respondents simply represented
as Participant #1, Participant #2, Participant #3, Participant #4, Participant #5, Participant
#6, Participant #7, Participant #8, Participant #9, Participant #10, Participant #11, and
Participant #12.
Confidentiality was maintained throughout the study. Specific demographic data
with identifying features were not presented to maintain confidentiality.
Chapter Four provided a description of the themes and patterns that emerged from
the responses of the multicultural and ethnically diverse adult orphan participants. The
findings in this chapter were drawn from the participants’ own lived experiences,
reflections, and views to shed light on these topics and add to the existing body of
133
knowledge in the research on orphans.
A plethora of rich data was gathered through exploration to gain a deeper
understanding o f the impact of the participants’ stories. The qualitative data collection
procedures were informal and, free flowing but remained focused on the questions and
collecting the appropriate data.
Description of Participants
The participants were selected by authorship of a biography, autobiographical
book or article about their life experiences, and nomination by knowledgeable,
professional researchers who verified their orphanhood journey.
The study was originally designed for eight participants. This approach was
intended to support a minimum number of participants from each group to answer the
research questions. A large response from the multicultural adult orphans led to the
revision o f this study.
Fifty multicultural adult orphans were identified for the purpose of this study;
however, after careful screening, 42 invitations were sent out to prospective or potential
participants who met the criteria for selection for this research study.
While 20 out of 42 respondents agreed to be a participant in this research study,
eighteen were interviewed. From this group a total of 12 participants were purposely
selected and participated in this study.
The researcher contacted participants’ publishers, editors, managers, agents,
publicists, lawyers, corporate officers, website designers, executive assistants, and staff to
inquire about permission to contact the authors to receive their consent to participate in
the researcher’s study. The authors’ representatives responded and the researcher
contacted the participants directly to introduce herself and ask the participants to
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participate in the doctoral dissertation research study on multicultural and ethnically
diverse adult orphans who were not adopted but overcame adversity to achieve economic
and career success.
Six multicultural adult orphans received invitations and were excluded from the
study because they were politicians, had been adopted, had difficulty with time schedule
or were too famous to be assured anonymity.
Table 4.1 reports the Demographics of the participants.
Table 4.1
Demographics o f Participants by Achievement, Gender, Race or Ethnicity and Age
Participants Achievement Gender Race or Ethnicity Age
Participant #1 Business Female Caucasian White American 53
Participant #2 Health Care Female Aboriginal/Indigenous Australian 70
Participant #3 Health Care Male Asian Chinese American 61
Participant #4 Education Male African American 47
Participant #6 Business Male Caucasian White American 66
Participant #7 Education Male Caucasian White American 70
Participant #9 Business Male African Nigerian American 59
Participant #10 Business Female Bi-racial Black/White Australian 64
Participant #11 Business Female African American 53
Participant #12 Health Care Male Caucasian White American 56

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The participants who responded affirmatively were sent an “Informed Consent”
form; all documents had been approved by the Dowling College IRB (Institutional
Review Board). According to the United States Census Bureau and the Census
Australian Bureau o f Statistics, participants of this study included 12 multicultural and
ethnically diverse adult orphans from the United States and Australia, were of the
primary racial and ethnic groups, were not adopted, and were able to achieve economic
and career success.
Research Questions
The semi-structured interviews of the participants resulted in vivid descriptive
data illustrating each participant’s challenges and successes as they journeyed through
life. Some participants were nervous and suspicious, while others were forthcoming, on a
mission to tell their stories. Some offered detailed descriptions of events, while others
spoke to the point and seemed to be re-experiencing the events from a different
perspective. The participants were extremely tolerant, their patience indescribable as they
gave hours of their time to provide their contribution to the research.
Another pertinent factor was the responses to the questions. There was no anger
or emotional outbursts but rather thoughtful responses to the questions posed. Many of
the participants described the pain they experienced while in an institution or orphanage.
They also described their resilience throughout their journey. In no way were the 12
participants in this study resigned to their lot in life.
All participants experienced push and pull factors contributing to their becoming
productive, responsible, and successful contributing citizens. The details of their journey
were different, but the feelings of alienation, of hoping to be understood, and trying to
achieve acceptance were similar.

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All participants had their own stories to tell from their own perspectives. Eight
over-arching themes were discovered: Childhood, Education, Faith in Divine Design,
Career Efforts, Self-Concept, Coping including, Motivation, and Resiliency,
Counselor/Mentor help.
As a result of the discovery o f the eight themes across all participants, the
research questions were revised to reflect the principle themes. The eight emergent
principle themes are illustrated in Table 4.2.
Table 4.2
Themes
C h ild h o o d E d u catio n F aith in C aree r S elf-C o n c e p t C o p in g M otiv atio n M en to r/

D iv in e E fforts C o u n selo r
D esign
Feel S u ccess in Felt a Felt a U sed A cq u ired Learned F ound

A b an d o n ed L e arn in g H ig h er perso n al S trateg y to S e lf E m o tional M entors
d e sire to cope
Pow er R eg u lated In te llig e n c e for A d vising
h e lp o thers
Feel Felt L e a rn in g and
D eterm in ed A cad em ic Faced Skills Self- Found
to su cceed S e lf-E ffic ac y Felt Felt a D ifficu lty D iscip lin e m entors
Fello w sh ip Personal U sed to learn from
N eutral H eritag e T actic A c q u ire d
T e a c h er- D eveloped Self-
F eel v alued K now led g e F ound
P ersonal
by one Stu d en t R eceived E fficacy c o u n se lo rs
K new th eir M an a g e m e n t
ad u lt R elatio n sh ip s S p iritu al U sed to help
ow n Skills
G u id a n ce H eritag e C o p in g S p o n so rs m an ag e th eir
Feel A lone L ittle fro m S trategies w ho em o tio n s and
T ru st o f m in iste r en co u rag e d fears
T each ers D ev elo p ed D eveloped U sed
S ense a
Feel S trategic M en to rs and
of
perso n al Felt D iv ine T h in k in g R ole M odels
P u rp o se of
d riv e to care O n e T e ach er In terv en tio n fo r a c a re e r S elf-Id en tity en co u rag e d
for o th ers in flu en ced a o r Plan Faced c o n tin u o u s
few O b stac le s, grow th
and
B arriers D rive to be
S o m eo n e
Eight themes emerged within the interviews: childhood, education, faith in divine
design, career efforts, self-concept, coping, motivation and mentors and counselors. Each
theme has been addressed in this chapter within one or more of the research questions.
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Under the auspices of the themes are the fourteen independent variables in the
research study. The 14 independent variables in the research study are under the auspices
of the themes.
Research Question One
childhood?
In the theme of childhood, participants noted that they felt abandoned and
unwanted by their parents, and in some cases, were maltreated by their parents as well as
at the orphanage. For example, one male respondent stated: “My brother and father
passed away in the same year. My father’s small business was taken over by creditors
shortly afterwards. My mother tried to feed a family of six on her own and it wasn’t
possible. Rev. P. who was very close with my family had gotten me placed in an
orphanage. My mother though had stated the orphanage was a boarding school and that
was the reason why I was going. She had tricked me into going and when we went on the
tour she had just left me without saying goodbye.”
Participant #1 stated: “I spent 18 years in foster care living in five homes. I grew
up in five foster homes in rural Maine living mostly on farms. One of my foster mothers
was an elderly white single woman who raised me during my adolescent years and
encouraged me to pursue my passion for dance.” The common thread that linked the
transitional changes the participant experienced from the five foster homes was the
powerful female influence in her life. Every one of her foster parents communicated to
her that she would do well in life.
Participant #6 stated he was physically and sexually abused both at home and in
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the orphanage. He entered a South Carolina orphanage when he was about seven years
old. He described himself as dirty and ignorant and stated: “My father was in prison at
that time.”
The day his mother took him, his three brothers and two sisters to the orphanage,
he said: “she tells us she’ll be back that night.” He described the experience in stark
terms “I was scrubbed, given new clothes and assigned a room. I kept going back to the
front window to wait for my mother. Despite repeated beatings, I returned to the window
night after night. My mother never returned.”
When he left 12 years later, he described himself as arrogant and stubborn. He
noted: “I had survived.” He survived abandonment by his mother. He survived physical,
mental and sexual abuse. He survived betrayal. And he survived with his will to make
something out of himself although he stated: “I was marred and scarred.”
Participant #6 later wrote his life story through the encouragement of his
counselor. He dedicated his book in part to the thousands of abused children to encourage
them to seek help.
Participant #10 stated:
My mother was very young when she had me. In those days it was
considered a sin to have a baby if you were unmarried and young. Also, I
was biracial which was considered a major sin also. My mother could not
bring me back to her mother’s house so she found a family to take care of
me for a fee. Unfortunately, the strangers that were caring for me abused
me and neglected me so I lived with friends of my mother.
I was a victim of government’s assimilation policy, which was an

appalling situation where we were programmed into believing we were
white. Just because of my skin color I was denied a family. I still hurt
today and the scars are hidden deep inside. I cannot erase the past, as it is
something that I can never forgive. When I hear the constant mention of,
“This is the Australian way,” it really angers me. Surely to goodness there
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are a lot o f our people out there who could stand in a government sector
and stand and teach others what we believe in. It is time for our people to
be empowered and say it as it is. So many o f us suffer and continue to
suffer from the 1940s. I have a Certificate of Exemption and I show it to
people to educate them on how it is. The wounds have healed but the scars
still remain as well as the dreams and nightmares.
Most of the participants described positive influences with foster care and
orphanages. For example, participant #10 stated:
My mother passed away, so a group of family members and women in the

community came together and raised me. I’m neither upset nor angry
about becoming an orphan; I was raised by a wonderful community. I
know my mother is very pleased.
Participant #12, a male said:
When my father left me alongside a Georgia highway at the age of nine, I

waited alone for a bus to come to take me to Florida to home and my
mother. But my mother was living with a new boyfriend. I was no longer
welcome. I was left alone to survive on the streets of Tampa. Eventually I
was picked up and sent to an orphanage, I never saw my mother or father
again. As an abandoned boy, I might have been expected to grow into a
bitter man. However, I have often exceeded expectations. At a time of
year when we give thanks for the good in life, I am also thankful for the
bad. God has been looking over me, protecting me and providing me with
opportunities that I never would have had if I had stayed with my parents.
Another participant stated: “I lived in an orphanage for nine years and it was the
only place I felt secure.”
During the researcher’s review of the responses the participants offered, the
question arose “how did the participants perceive themselves from the ages seven to
eighteen?” To answer this question and to more deeply understand how their self-
identity emerged. The researcher contacted each of the participants again to ask the
question. Also the researcher retrieved anecdotal data from books and articles the
participants had written.
Participant #3 a male cardiologist said, “It has to do with a higher being or power
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related to affinity and infinity which is very difficult to explain.”
Participant #9, a male aerospace engineer, said it has to do with “Genetic
Programming,” which he described in these words:
Orphans are engineered by nature and nurture to become the person/s they
are. Genetic programming is a field emerging from the interests o f diverse
people who find themselves exploring and exploiting a particular new
opportunity. It is their shared practices and norms, their habits and their
goals. For example, orphans have a built in mechanism that helps with
their emotional healing, sense of alien invasion and mental state, which
they equate with an armored shield of protection.
Participant #5 said:
My mother had nine children by two different husbands that abused her.
Her first husband was an alcoholic and wife-beater. My mother divorced
him and married my father who was nearly twice her age. Unfortunately,
Mother went from bad to worse. In the old days, one would say she
jumped out of the frying pan into the fire.
Also she said that her mother never told her that her parents thought she was mentally ill.
Never once did her mother tell her why her own family thought she was crazy, but she
said, “I knew without her telling me.”
Her mother taught her about God, how to treat others, and endless lessons on
conduct. She said, “because of my mother’s attitude, I developed a sense of independence
and self- confidence at a very young age. This comes only from the knowledge that you
can survive.”
According to Tessina (2008), “When life hands me a very difficult time, and I feel
defeated and overwhelmed, I enter a hopeless and helpless state of mind. I think of
myself as The Little Orphan girl. This is the way I felt, as a teen, when I lost nearly my
whole family, father, aunts and uncles, between the ages of 12 and 18. Needless to say, I
was devastated; and I also survived and eventually, thrived. But little orphan girl doesn’t
remember that I made it through - she sinks into despair. When I realize this is going on,
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I know I have to snap out o f it, get into adult thinking mode and comfort and reassure that
sad little part o f myself.” (p.l)
Tessina observes that “Everyone has a similar mental place they can get stuck in
sometimes, people call it “depression” although it’s not really clinical depression. It’s just
a form of mental exhaustion, perhaps due to grief, frustration, disappointment or some
other problem.” (p.2)
Eric Berne, M. D. the developer of Transactional Analysis theory, called such a
child a “Little Professor.” Robert Phillips, M.D., describes how this happens in his
monograph, Structural Symbiotic Systems:
“A child with a mother who is habitually helpless, perhaps drunk or

incompetent soon forms a habit of caretaking. Highly intelligent and
resourceful children can do well enough at caretaking to get a lot of praise
and gratification from their accomplishment. Further problems arise when
the Little Professor is smart enough to be successful at the caretaking. For
such a child caretaking and “acting as i f ’ he or she knows what to do
become strongly ingrained habits. A child with this background often
grows up to be a highly competent, but stressed and anxious adult. The
anxiety is a result o f pretending. No matter how successful and competent
the person becomes, no matter what he or she achieves, it never seems
real. The Little Professor feels like a child who’s pretending to be a
grownup.” (pp. 1-4)
Until you do the work to separate your childlike self from the past, bring it into
the present, and acknowledge all your adult experience and expertise, you will feel as if
someone else must be running your life.
Recovering from Little Professor syndrome is not difficult, once you realize
you’re behaving in this way. The key is to recognize your competence as an adult, and to
learn to identify the difference between using your adult intelligence and using your
childlike ability to “fake” what you’re doing. Reassure yourself that you survived
whatever was devastating in the past, and you can get through this difficulty, too.
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Research Question One Summary
Participants revealed that they were affected by the feelings they had as a result of
their childhood experiences. Those feelings included: abandonment, rejection,
powerlessness, isolation, and loneliness. In addition, some experienced physical and
sexual abuse while in foster care and/or orphanages. Others experienced loving and
supportive adults in an extended family, a foster home or an orphanage.
The gender comparison revealed that the male participants were more
forthcoming with their childhood life stories than were the female participants. The male
participants were the first to respond during the recruitment process. Additionally, the
male participants were more extroverted in reference to telling their childhood history,
whereas, the females were more introverted and less willing to speak as freely about their
life history.
Gender comparison revealed that female orphans are more withdrawn and not as
forthcoming with their childhood history as males. They are not readily willing to share
their life story with the public, and most mentioned they are ashamed of the negative and
distasteful stigma associated with being an orphan.
The setting for early childhood care was not as important to these orphans as the
quality of care and the support these adults offered to them. Almost all of the participants
achieved a deep sense o f personal purpose or design in their lives by mid-adolescence.
One participant achieved a profound sense of purpose, determination and capacity to
build a life for herself when she gave birth to her first child in her 20s.
No matter how difficult childhood was for the adult participants who achieved
successful careers, they reported that their childhood did include at least one person who
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helped them to feel valued, talented, and capable of good works.
Question one focused on the participants’ perception of themselves between the
ages seven and 18, and further asked the following questions: (1) How did you feel about
yourself, and (2) How did you achieve this sense of yourself?
The researcher, in turn, contacted the participants to ask them to answer the above
questions and the researcher also retrieved anecdotal data from the archives. The data
revealed that the participants’ had a profound sense of self-worth and confidence at such
a young age that helped them to navigate their way throughout the turmoil and overcome
extraordinary obstacles, barriers and hurdles that most adolescence do not experience.
Some o f the participants described their experiences as genetic programming, a supreme
being, a higher power, divine intervention or an alien invasion that help them to navigate
their way out of the bowels of squalor. Essentially, these children had to grow up fast
and take on adult responsibilities in order to survive. It was not a choice; it was a
necessity.
Tessina (2008) posits that “until you do the work to separate your childlike self
from the past, bring it into the present, and acknowledge all your adult experience and
expertise, you will feel as if someone else must be running your life. When you stay in
adult mode, you’ll find that it is much easier to distinguish your true responsibilities from
those that belong to others. You’ll feel much more competent, and much more in charge
o f your own life” (p. 4).
Research Question Two

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All 12 of the participants had some unique adaptations to adversity and coping skills,
which enabled them to achieve highly successful careers.
Participant #1, a female said:
My adaptation to adversity was the transformational power of positive

mentoring and also teaching myself not to be a victim in situations and try
to extract the light even in the darkness. There were many types of peer
pressure regarding drugs and sex. There weren’t many instances of
positive peer pressure but I think I handled it very well either way.
Participant #2, a female stated:
I cope with challenges the same way any other regular person does; just
because I am an orphan doesn’t mean I think nor do anything differently.
I had to leam to deal with difficulties on my own terms.” She also said,
“At times when I am dealing with difficulties I tend to hide and if I have to
cry I do it in private. The same is true if I smile because something made
me happy.” She said, “Personal growth occurs through facing and
enduring the struggles, the upsets and the adversity. The future has a lot to
offer.
She noted, “My education has been a big step to my healing and recovery as an
Aboriginal person.”
Participant #2 also said:
I had to struggle to find out who I am as a person and where I fit in

society. I had to struggle with not knowing who my parents are and what
had happened. I had to struggle in school and at Sister K’s Orphanage. I
am still struggling but it is becoming easier and easier as the days go on
due to my children and grandchildren. The wounds have healed but the
scars still remain as well as the dreams and nightmares.
Participant #4 said, “Life is about cycles. It’s not always good and it’s not always
bad. Once you leam that you should be able to cope with most of your challenges.”
The participants were first asked to describe their lived experiences in their
interviews regarding adaptation to adversity and overcoming obstacles and barriers.
Participant # 9 who is a male stated:
My career success can be attributed to the following unique qualities:

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independent thinker, ability to accept defeat as a challenge to greater

effort, a belief that whatever the mind can believe, it can achieve, and to
take bold action with associated risks.
He continued to describe a disposition of determination. “I cope with challenges
very well. I tell myself that you can be anything you want, and with that, I always rise to
the occasion.” He further emphasized determination, bold actions, and a belief in oneself.
He stated defeat was a challenge to work harder.
Participant #3, a male, stated the following:
I experienced loneliness, helplessness and the pain of abandonment while

I was in the orphanage. The deep emotional wounds caused me to not trust
anyone. After I learned that my childhood experiences caused a lot of
emotions negatively, I took the courage to face them head on and I’m still
improving every day.
Participant #3 also noted how difficult trust in others was for him.
Participant #4 indicated that consideration, involving the ability to use good
judgment in a variety o f situations is also a coping skill. He said, “There is always going
to be peer pressures where you go. I encountered stealing, foul language, fights and
many other things. The death of my mother was a major obstacle that I had to
overcome.”
Participant #4 stated, “I had no specific tactic that I used. The challenges of my
early life have inspired my personal, educational and professional achievements. He
observed he wanted to be the best he could be.”
Participant #8 paraphrased Eleanor Roosevelt. She said, “A stumbling block to
the pessimist is a stepping stone to the optimist.” Participant #8 chose to leam from
errors, mistakes, and obstacles.
Participant #12 mentioned his biggest struggle is “.. .to give his children the
freedom to fail, to not become overly protective because of his own experiences.” One of
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those painful experiences motivated him to complete his education. As a young man, he
visited a woman he knew to ask for help in securing a job. The woman, who a few years
earlier had nearly adopted Participant #12, coldly rebuffed him. “I left her house, stood in
the driveway and said, ‘I’ll show her.” Years later, after completing his doctorate, he sent
the woman a message of thanks. “The best revenge is to be successful despite the people
who let you down,” he says.
Participant #12 shows how a disposition that refuses to give someone else the
power to determine one’s future enables one to design one’s own future. He is resilient
in the face o f rejection.
Each of the participants demonstrates the power of positive thinking. All 12 of
them refuse to be “victims of society.”
Research Question Two Summary
These participants reveal several ways that they coped with adversity: being
determined to succeed, having a will to do well, having resiliency and refusing to let
themselves be overcome by obstacles, hurdles and barriers. They employ tactical
knowledge in their pursuits of higher education and professional skills for a variety of
professions.
For example, Participant #8who paraphrased Eleanor Roosevelt said, “I am an
optimist and I will use the stumbling block as a stepping stone. I choose to leam from
errors, mistakes and obstacles.”
The transformational power of positive mentoring is a key to adaptation to
adversity and also teaching one not to be victim in situations and try to extract the light
even in the darkness. There were many types of negative peer pressure, and less instances
o f positive peer pressure; however, participants were able to handle it very well either
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way.
Once the participants understood that life is about cycles and constant change,
they were able to utilize their coping skills.
Moustakas (1990) defined tactic knowledge as: “the deep structure that contains
the unique perceptions, feelings, intuition, beliefs, and judgments housed in the internal
frame o f reference o f a person that governs behavior and determines how we interpret
Self-determination, fortitude, stamina, self-esteem and a host of other positive
factors were at the forefront o f the participants’ mind as they negotiated their strategies to
survive.
Self-determination is associated with greater quality o f life (Wehmeyer &
Schwartz, 1998) and more positive adult outcomes (Wehemeyer & Schwartz, 1997).
According to Bennis and Nanus, one o f the foremost qualities of successful people, was
self-determination and the willingness to leam. According to Combs and Ahmed (1974),
informal learning is education that is unorganized, unsystematic and even unintentional at
times, yet accounts for the great bulk of any person’s total lifetime learning. A
combination of resiliency, self-determination, and being open to informal learning seem
to point to the process leading to success.
Research Question Three
Although the participants in this study came from varied backgrounds, they
stated that all o f their past experience at educational institutions, even going back to
childhood, contributed to their being able to function successfully in their current roles in
life. All twelve participants described education as one of the major factors that
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contributed to their success. All 12 participants described education as a profound
positive experience in their lives.
Although they described education as a profound positive experience, they did not
share the same feelings for their teachers and counselors. The general consensus was they
did not feel their teachers were trustworthy. Many did not develop trust in their teachers
and they felt their teachers did not develop trust in them either. Most felt their teachers
were there to do their job, that is, to teach a subject. Many learned their subjects in spite
o f neutral relations with their teachers. A few had teachers who were positive mentors
with whom they had an emotional bond and confident support.
Education was and has always been a very important part of my life. While in the
orphanage I didn’t keep up with my studies but with diligence all the hard work paid off.
My teachers were trustworthy to a certain extent but I never took the time nor did they to
really see how trustworthy they were. I didn’t develop their trust and they didn’t develop
my trust. They never inspired me or encouraged me. I was a headache for the teachers;
for some reason though they were very lenient with me; which I did not appreciate. After
I was baptized at the age of 11,1 turned my life around and actually became more
involved in my studies. Some of the teachers thought that I was cheating or something
because whenever I took a test I scored a perfect score. I was never a dumb child just due
to peer pressure and my own personal issues at one point in my life I didn’t take my
studies as seriously as I should have.
Participant #7, a male, stated:
I had to overcome! I wanted to please my seventh-grade teacher and my Ph.D.
mentor. Beyond that, I knew I had to succeed and become somebody, on my own terms,
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however difficult it would be or regardless of how long it took.”
Conversely, Participant #10 told how difficult school was for her and that she
dropped out of high school. However, she said, “As an adult I realize the importance of
education and so went back to finish high school and on to college to become a nurse.”
Participant #10 also stated:
Being in an institution and taken away from your parents are major
barriers and obstacles that I had to overcome within myself. Also, being
biracial was a major barrier I had to overcome. I believe not being
accepted for who you are is a major issue that affects orphans’ ability to
succeed in life and everyone else around you. I was treated unfairly or
different because o f the color of my skin and though times were difficult
and nobody knew better because that’s the way they were raised it still
isn’t right. I had no role model or mentor that influenced me.
She also mentioned that education was very important in the orphanage.
I went to school every day because I had to. As I got a little older I veered away
from education and dropped out of high school so I could do my own thing. I eventually
got things back on track and finished school.
My relationship with my teachers was horrible. I didn’t trust them nor did
I want to be there. I don’t think they were trustworthy at all. I didn’t
develop their trust at all. I didn’t even trust myself and they didn’t
develop my trust at all either. They never encouraged me nor inspired me
to do anything. They discouraged me all the time. I hated school because
o f them. They never showed any love or compassion to any of us. They
always beat us for the smallest thing or the smallest disturbance. Why
would I want to go to school and be subjected to that?
She further stated: “I didn’t have very good academic skills I had to adjust my
efforts to leam and I now have excellent self-management.”
Participant# 10 changed her life by completing her degree as a licensed nurse in
spite of many negative interactions with teachers in the orphanage school.
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I’m still doing work on my self-management. I’m still amazed at my life

because I realize it’s not just my life; my life belongs to many, many other
people; either people who helped me to get here today and people who
depend on this message. I am still getting there and it is an amazing
journey and every day is a blessing.
Participants #10 and 1 noted how important self-management was to their career
success.
The participants appeared to have a strong self-perception at a very young age;
therefore, it seemed appropriate to investigate the participants’ lived experience more
deeply. To follow up, I contacted the participants by telephone to with two questions that
would serve as probing questions that explored how their self-identity emerged between
the ages of seven to eighteen.
The study findings prior to this discovery revealed the participants were very
mature at a very young age. The following additional questions were posed to each
participant:
Addendum Question with Probes
Please describe how you perceived yourself between ages seven to eighteen?
1. How did you feel about yourself between the ages of seven to eighteen?
2. How did you achieve this sense of yourself?
The participants represented the same original twelve multicultural groups from
the United States of America and Australia.
At the time of the second interview, the researcher briefed the participants about
the purpose of the additional research questions by noting how their experiences between
the ages of seven to eighteen seem important to their development.
Participant #1 answered the questions by saying:
My first foster mother was a wise and elderly lady who instilled in me a
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sense of self-worth when I was a child. If I did not have the mentoring of
Mrs. A. who o f course was filled with wisdom, I would not be the woman
I am today. She was able to infuse me with not only incredible morals and
skills, which were given to her from her history, which went back to the
early 1800s. So, I was raised by a woman that had vast knowledge. She
was nurturing and loving and I truly believe that she was the guiding force
in my life even though after I left her I had four other foster mothers in
different homes. It appeared to me, that my life had been programmed by
God because after the foundation was set by age seven it became more
solid as the years passed. Each home I lived in seemed to pick up the
pieces o f my puzzle and put me together until I became a whole person.
Participant #1 expressed:
I believe the need for people to come forth and help orphan children,
especially the ones who are older and less desirable because of their length
of time in institutions, orphanages and foster home is of utmost
importance. Every child needs to know that someone cares about them.
The participant’s answer revealed that at an early age in her life as a child, a
loving mentor who was a role model instilled in her a sense of self-worth.
From birth I had bonded with my mother until the age of two years before
the government ripped me away from my family and put me in an
orphanage. I was programmed to assimilate in a white culture and to be a
white person, when I was truly a biracial black and Indigenous Aboriginal.
We didn’t have any social interaction; we just stayed in an institution.

And then when I had to go out at 20, it was very frightening, because then
I was out on my own, going to work, and coping with racism. I was in the
orphanage for 18 years. After leaving the orphanage I was told Aboriginal
people were low-class and not nice.
We were not taught how to console one another or show affection. There
was no nurturing at all so I learned to deal with my difficulties as little as
possible.
She said:
Life at Sister K ’s Orphanage was not what I would have liked it to be, but
then again I did not know any difference. Children came in and out,
people went, people came, and we didn’t really take much notice of what
was different for us. We had our dormitories, we had our chores, did
everything we had to do. It was a very sterile way of living. Then from
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Sister K ’s Orphanage I went to the home of the Good Shepherds at the age
of 12, returned when I was 13, and stayed until I was 20.
Most people who are 20 are going and doing their own things and
understanding the world, but we had no idea, nothing was ever explained
to us about what life was or how to look at things in a proper way.
Therefore, it is very difficult for me to answer these questions because I
never had a sense of myself between the ages of seven to 18.1 developed a
since o f myself many years after becoming an adult.
Participant #2 revealed that she had developed a sense of self after she became an
adult.
After contacting Participant #2, again for clarity about her answers concerning her
personal identity and self-worth and with a bit more probing, she answered my question,
saying:
The day I became a mother I discovered my sense of purpose and the need
to reconnect with my Aboriginal heritage for the sake of my children.
Moreover, I also knew that I had to do something to correct the wrong that
had been done to me. Therefore, I became a spokesperson and Social
Activist for Aboriginal people.
Participant #3 answered the questions by saying that, “God has an eternal purpose
for each o f our lives and that God chose me to be his child even before I was bom. God
was my confidante.” He also stated that he had a life-changing conversion with God and
it changed the course o f his life. He quoted from the Bible, “In his heart a man plans his
course, but the Lord determines his steps” (Proverbs 16.9).
Participant #3 said this sense of self occurred when he was baptized at the age of
eleven. He states:
One weekend, there was an evangelistic meeting at a church in town.

Wow! This is a great chance to get out of the orphanage and do something
fun, several of my buddies suggested. ‘What do you have in mind?’ I
asked. Sneak into the theater to watch a movie for free, one said. We can
hold onto the clothing of some adults and pretend we are their children.
We can bend our knees when walking in so that we look shorter, he added.
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As we were walking to town, we plotted what we would do next. When

we passed by the church, I was attracted to the beautiful singing coming
out o f the sanctuary. We decided to walk up to the church building. We
stepped on a rock, peeked in through the window, and found that the
beautiful singing was coming from the choir. I thought that one day I
might be able to sing in the choir too. Before long, the speaker, who was
an American, but was preaching in near-perfect Cantonese, spotted us.
‘Come on in, boys. Jesus is waiting for you,’ he said, invitingly.
Everyone turned their head in our direction. Then two middle-aged ladies
came out of the sanctuary and invited us in. At that point, we had no
choice but to follow them inside. I could not remember what the message
was about; but when the speaker called people to accept Jesus Christ, my
heart was pounding really hard. Though I did not raise my hand, the seed
of the gospel had been sown. After the meeting was over, I told my
buddies that we should not steal anymore, and we returned to the
orphanage empty-handed.
Several weeks later, an evangelistic meeting was held at the orphanage.

The speaker was the principal’s son, who was graduating from seminary.
This time I couldn’t help but pay attention to the sermon, because the
whole sermon was about me! I realized that my disobedient, sinful nature
would not allow me to do good unless Jesus Christ came into my heart.
When the speaker invited people to come forward, I was the first one
walking to the podium. I accepted Jesus Christ as my personal Savior that
day and was baptized on Easter Sunday, 1962.
Thereafter my life took a 180-degree turn. All the things I had thought
were exciting to do were no longer o f any interest to me. Also, my anger
and bitterness were replaced by the love of God and the joy of knowing
that Jesus was there for me and would take good care of me. I began to
pray to God whenever things bothered me, and I always felt better
afterward.
The participant’s answer revealed that an evangelist served as a source of
enlightenment and he discovered his own sense of self-worth within a religious calling to
commit to a new way of life.
The motivators underlying my success were I had a mindset that my

mother knew we had certain stops or paths that we had to complete or pass
through in order to grow. This experience left an indelible mark on my
life and professional work. As an adult, I have labored continuously to
offer options and opportunities to others that I, and my siblings, did not
have when we were served by the human service system. I also had the
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mindset that if my mother was alive she would be happy of the places that
I went to and I believed that there was a Supreme Being watching over me
and guiding me.
Participant #4 also stated that, before he became an orphan, his mother had set the
core and foundation of his life. The participant’s answer revealed that he was orphaned
at age five. His mother’s beliefs guided him to a personal belief that a “Supreme Being”
watched over him. He found a sense of purpose for his life through spiritual guidance
from a bond that was established in early childhood before his mother’s death.
My mother was mentally ill, nevertheless, she always read the Bible to my
siblings and me. She tried very hard to teach us right from wrong,
although she never practiced what she preached. Her parents would not
have anything to do with her because they told everyone she was ‘crazy’
and I had to take on a great deal of responsibility to care for her and for
my younger siblings even though I was a child myself.
I never had a sense of myself between the ages of seven and 18 because I
was always taught negative behavior by my care givers. I did whatever
they said whether it was right or wrong and in most cases it was wrong. I
was very much ashamed of being an orphan and tried very hard to distance
myself from the orphanage and the other orphans at school.
The educational role played a part in everything I did. I studied hard and
worked myself through high school and college. I can’t think of any
positive peer pressure that we had but we had a lot of negative peer
pressure. As far as how I perceived myself I did not like myself at all and I
also felt that God did not like orphans. It was not until I became an adult
and sought psychological counseling that I began to see myself in a
different light and it was then that I started to develop a sense of self-
worth.
The participant’s answer revealed that through comprehensive guidance and
psychological counseling he achieved a sense of self-worth.
At the age of 12 I gained a perception of myself because of my seventh

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grade teacher who saw something in me that turned my life around and
made me want to make her proud of me. Until then I was not sure of
anything until she planted the seed. From that moment on I decided that I
must make something of my life and do better in school. She said I had
potential and I could do anything if I put my mind to it.
Five years after being in Mrs. L’s class, our high school senior class was
evaluated for college by a psychology professor from a local University.
We took aptitude and IQ tests and later the Scholastic Aptitude Test
(SAT). When the professor took me in his office to go over my scores, he
said something to me that I will always remember: You may not make it
through college. Your IQ is not as high as we normally like to see in
college students. If you do go, remember that you may get frustrated. I
don’t know that you can make it. Your aptitude tests show that you have a
fondness for transportation. Maybe you should try trucking. From that
moment on I had the fire in my belly to show all the counselors and
psychologists that they were wrong and I was on a mission to become
great. That is when I found my purpose in life.
A college career counselor challenged his seventh grade teacher’s belief in him.
He rejected the career counselor, and instead retained the sense of self-worth he gained
from his seventh grade teacher. The participant’s answer revealed that a teacher in grade
seven who valued him helped him value himself.
I had a loving family, and was very well cared for by my parents until the
age of 11 when I became an orphan. My parents and siblings were
murdered on a boat along with the murderer’s wife. I was the only
survivor.
Between the ages of seven to 11 I was a happy child and I did not worry
about anything because I was secure. My old life was shattered, the pieces
o f it strewn across - and - under the seas. I really was a female Moses in
the bulrushes, a waif cast adrift on the waters that would begin life all over
again, almost from scratch.
It is hard, maybe wrong to use the word “miracle” when five out of six
innocent people die horrible deaths and one person survives. And yet my
ordeal o f horror and survival were still extraordinary. I drew strength -
great —strength from the fact that I had survived. From the very first
moment I was convinced that I must have survived for a reason. I had
survived the worst there is. Even at the age of 11,1 wanted others to be
inspired by my story because I knew God was the source of the miracle.
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The participant’s answer revealed that a family tragedy enabled her to adopt a
personal view of herself as a survivor. At age 11, she was convinced she survived for a
reason and God had a purpose for her. She sees herself as an instrument o f God.
“Every adversity carries with it a seed of equivalent benefit. Therefore,

whenever I am overtaken by adversity, I start looking for that seed of
equivalent benefit.”
He said:
Every one o f us has experienced success and failures at various times in

our lives. What we do with these experiences determine what and who we
become in our efforts to either succeed or fail.
My grandmother raised me lovingly and taught me to strive for strength,

wisdom, and uncommon diligence from a very young age. She died when
I was 12 years old. The passing of my grandmother killed my momentum.
After her death, my whole life changed. It was then that I started thinking
about what my grandmother had said. She had said that I could achieve
anything I set my mind to, because God is always a good God. From that
point on I believed in my mind that I would return to the United States of
America, become an aerospace engineer, and prove to the people who
turned their back on me after I became an orphan that all things were
possible with God. I did in fact prove these people wrong.
The participant’s answer revealed that his surrogate mother (grandmother)
instilled in him a sense o f personal value and a belief in God, which he used to motivate
himself to work hard and become an aerospace engineer.
Participant #10 answered the questions by saying: “I was an undesirable child for
my white mother through an unacceptable liaison, a secret birth, a mother’s silence, and
her black child’s journey to discover the truth.” It was in 1948, Sydney Australia when
pretty, blond Ms. G. discovers she is pregnant by a Black merchant marine sailor who
sailed back to America. The White Australian Policy was in place and society’s
judgment mattered; so what will Ms. G. do with this baby who is, me? My mother
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abandons me and I am placed in an orphanage.” She reported that she never had a sense
o f self-worth as a child. Between the ages of seven to 18 she felt she was a disgrace to her
White mother who could not bring her home to live with her because she was Black.
“My mother’s mother told her before I was bom to abort me because I was a Black devil.
Therefore, to answer the questions truthfully, I perceived myself as the undesirable
child.”
There were many times in my life when I was younger that I wanted to die
but I had to pray and come to terms that this is the life I have regardless if
I wanted it or not and I had to make the best out o f my situation.
Moreover, I was determined to find out about my heritage because my

mother said my father was dead, but my alcoholic aunt told me that he was
not and I was determined to come to America to find him. I believe this is
when my life became purposeful.
The participant’s answer revealed that she achieved a purposeful life in search of
her paternal heritage.
I was raised by Ms. M. and she was very religious and believed that God
was the cure for all ailments as well as life’s trial and tribulations. When
things were going bad for Ms. M., she would go and get the Bible. She
had faith in the power of the man above to work miracles, and me I had
faith in Ms. M. She planted a firm foundation for me as a child through
her faith, knowledge and most of all love and caring nature. Ms. M. was
the pillar of the community and everyone brought problems and ailments
to her. She would say there is nothing that the Lord cannot fix or heal.
Ms. M. was a storyteller.
Ms. M. and the entire community raised Participant #11, and she said:
I made a vow to God that I would make something of my life as a child. I

developed a “sense o f purpose” at the library as a little girl. I was
fascinated by the written word and I knew that I wanted to be a writer.
The library became my safe haven.
The participant’s story revealed she got a library card and developed a sense of
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purpose at the library reading books and wanting to write stories - she saw herself as a
reader, and wanted to be a storyteller.
The day my father left me on the highway and my mother would not allow
me to come home I had to survive on the streets until I was picked up by
the police and sent to an orphanage. I was nine years old and had
developed a protective shield. I believe that being homeless and alone at
the age of nine solidified my belief in myself that I could overcome any
and all obstacles that came my way.
Male participant #12 stated:
I had to survive all the time. I was faced with unbelievable amounts of
neglect and abuse but got through it with the help of my mentor and my
faith in God. I am a much stronger man now than when I was a little boy. I
have always been strong but going through the things I went through I
always talked to God because I knew he had a plan for me. As of right
now I don’t have many challenges in my life. Growing up I always had to
say to myself to have faith in God and that I needed to wait patiently for
the transformation to take place. My family deserted me without any
explanation so my family life was awful. I was my own family. Usually
when the boys in the orphanage reach a certain age they leave the
orphanage and join the military but instead I wanted to go college. So the
parents o f two of my friends opened their homes to me so I could finish
high school. I always loved to work and help others while I was working
on myself.
I knew then that God loved me and I was a good boy and he had a purpose
for me. Sometimes I just had to get away and put my faith in God for my
survival.
Participant #12 said,
“It is about self-discovery as well as finding God in all the right places.
He often places us in the path of wise people who will help us to
understand ourselves and how to continue to journey through spiritual
growth.”
He said,
“The most important relationship you will ever have with anyone, aside
from one with God, is that which you have with yourself.”
The participant’s answer revealed his experience of being homeless and alone at
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age nine helped him discover himself as someone who God loved. He thought of himself
as a good person. He became the person he envisioned “a child of God.”
According to Isaac (2008), “the uncovering of one’s unique identity and purpose
and the creation of a personal ethos are developmentally important; many individuals
receiving psychological services are capable of introspection and metaphorical thinking;
and the interpretation o f the symbols of the unconscious is healing” (p. 37).
All 12 participants acquired their central identity through one of four major
interventions: personal conversion insight, loving adult, a sense of a divine design and
professional help, Table 4.3 illustrates the sources of self-identity.
Research Question Three Summary
The participants revealed the importance of education. All 12 stated that
education was a major influence in their lives. Although one participant mentioned how
she hated school and dropped out, she eventually returned and completed her education
because she was determined to succeed. She demonstrated self-efficacy in the face of
adversity, self-determination and self-management.
In 1977, Bandura hypothesized that a person’s sense of efficacy determined one’s
coping behavior and degree of effort expended in adverse experiences. Higher self-
seek successful outcomes. Bandura (1997) defined self-efficacy as: “the beliefs in one’s
capabilities to organize and execute the courses of action required producing given

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Table 4.3
Sources o f Self-Identity
Personal Conversion Loving Adult Divine Purpose Professional Help
A Search for Paternal A loving wise foster An Evangelist offers A Psychologist helps
Heritage mother gives her a sense conversion to a new life one adult orphan
o f worth to an eleven year old develop a personal
A Community o f child sense o f self worth
caring women who A mother’s kind words through counseling
introduced her to a and belief in her child A pastor in a Dutch
library, books,, reading as a good person instills reform Church serves as As a child having to be
and story telling in him a belief in his a mentor who helps him responsible for
She sees herself as a own goodness before develop a belief in God younger siblings
reader and story teller her death and his own sense o f before going into an
goodness as a child orphanage taught her
After becoming a A teacher who believed how to care for others
mother she gained her in him as a seventh A child being the lone and get things done In
personal identity and grader helped him gain survivor o f a tragedy the orphanage she was
self-worth a sense o f self-worth gave this eleven year old encouraged to use
The day she became a that enabled him to a sense o f divine these skills to continue
mother she discovered reject limitations and purpose in her life to help others
her sense o f purpose low expectations that a
and the need to career counselor held A grandmother who
reconnect with her for him gave the child a sense o f
Aboriginal heritage for value and a belief in
the sake o f her children God helped him obtain a
Moreover, she also sense o f divine purpose
knew that she had to do in his life
something to correct
the wrong that had been An abandoned child
done to her Therefore, becomes homeless and
she became a alone at age nine and
spokesperson and envisions himself as a
Social Activist for child o f God who would
Aboriginal people guide him as a result o f
biblical reading by his
mother
Students’ perception of their capacity to learn and master academic activities is a
determining factor of their aspirations, level of motivation, and academic

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describes general efficacy as a belief that everyone has the ability to learn an activity.
Actual recognition that one has learned a skill or acquired deeper understanding increases
one’s efficacy.
The addendum questions revealed four major sources of informational data that
were pertinent to the study. Eleven participants experienced a pivotal point in their
childhood between the ages o f seven to 18 that gave them a sense o f purpose. One
participant did not reach her pivotal point until after the age of 20 when she became a
mother and developed a sense of purpose.
The participants’ source of identity and sense of self-worth came from personal
conversion insight, a loving adult, a sense of divine purpose and professional counseling
as illustrated in Table 4.3.
Research Question Four
The 12 participants described their self-concept and emotional intelligence in various
manners. A few had a deep understanding of personal identity. Others could assess and
control their emotions themselves and manage their emotions. All of them could
motivate themselves.
Participant #5: mentioned that, “determination was her number one tactic and my
refusal to blame others and become a victim of anything.” She said:
I do not cope with challenges very well; sometimes the challenges become
too much and I can’t control myself. I feel that being an orphan is an
unfortunate situation, which I cope with it every day. I manage myself the
best way I can. In the past, I didn’t deal with it very well. I wanted to
blame others and feel as though I was the victim at times.
I am very aware o f my personal heritage and I embrace it very well. I

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overcame low self-esteem, child abuse, deprivation and poverty. The

everyday struggles that each individual goes through I believe affects
an orphan’s ability to succeed in life and I was my own role model. I was
determined to survive and make something out of myself.
Participant #5 refused to see herself as a victim and was determined to make
something o f herself.
Participant #8: said, “I don’t do well while coping with challenges. I have had
many phobias and I also dealt with my own post-traumatic stress disorder but I think it
made me a stronger individual today.” Participant #8 described her emotions and coping
efforts. Her words were similar to the five domains of Emotional Intelligence (EQ):
1. Knowing your emotions
2. Managing your own emotions
3. Motivating yourself
4. Recognizing and understanding other people emotions
5. Managing relationships i.e. managing the emotions of other (Goleman, 1995
pp. 43-44).
Participant #5 identified very eloquently how she describes her self-concept and
emotional intelligence. She stated:
My personal self-management and coping mechanism is a work in

progress. I stay calm and take one day at a time. Also I tend to dwell on
other peoples issues instead of my own. I had to build my character a lot
and teach myself a few hard lessons. I take it day-by-day and step-by-
step. Every situation is different and needs to be handled differently.
Participant #5 also said:
I didn’t think I was going to make it to where I am today. I didn’t really

encounter any peer pressures. I dissect each situation and take it from
there. I tend to separate my feelings from work and home. If I had a bad
day at work I leave it at work and vice versa for home. I deal with my
feelings the best way I can.
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Participants #5 and 8 described a sense of emotional intelligence that helped them
take responsibility for their own lives. Both noted their successes were attributed to hard
work and dedication.
Participant #5 said, “I would not blame others and become a victim of anything.
In order to adjust my efforts to learn, I had to stop causing trouble and getting into
trouble.”
I encountered numerous challenges. I was going through abuse, self

esteem issues and depression. I would run away and deal with my
problems in a negative way. The motivators underlying my success are
attributed to hard work and dedication. I refused to become a victim and
became a victor.
Research Question Four Summary
The participants described in their commentary how determination, refusal to
become a victim, overcoming low self-esteem and learning how to manage their
emotions helped them to overcome the obstacles they encountered along their journey.
Overcoming low self-esteem was a pivotal point in the participants’ journey most
developed self-esteem and the others discovered they had self-esteem when they
discovered their self-identity.
Determination, self-management and education were important elements for a
deeper emotional intelligence that helped them see themselves as the most responsible
agent for their own lives.
According to Chow (1996), in business, education, and psychology, self
management refers to methods, skills, and strategies by which individuals can effectively
direct their own activities toward the achievement of objectives. These self-management
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behaviors include: goal setting, decision-making, focusing, planning, scheduling, task
tracking, self-evaluation, self-intervention and self-development.
In Drucker’s (1996) “Managing Oneself,” once a plan is in place, managing
oneself within the planned goals and interactions of personnel and environment becomes
a critical element in success (p. 13).
Research Question Five
How did the respondents employ motivation and strategic thinking to their lives?
The commentaries revealed that the consensus across most of the participants was
that they were their own motivator. They mentioned that in most cases they did not have
a mentor or role model. A major theme arose concerning their strategic thinking. Several
participants expressed that they tailored their strategies according to the situation at the
time. Most o f the participants expressed their faith in God as their saving grace.
Participant # 4 said:
I can’t say that there is truly one person that led me through my life. When
one person that had helped stepped out another person had picked up
where they left off. Life is about cycles. It’s not always good and it’s not
always bad. Once you learn that you should be able to cope with most of
your challenges. He purported with God anything is possible, if you only
believe you can achieve.
Early in my life, my grandmother, who raised me so lovingly, told me that

the family is poor not because of God but because no member o f the
family has changed that equation o f poverty. She also assured me that I
could achieve anything I wanted in life because God is always a good
God. These words of wisdom and encouragement became the cornerstone
o f my faith to succeed in life.
Participant #7 expressed informal learning was a key motivator in his life. He
stated: “Some o f the challenges I encountered which led to my employing strategic
thinking was during my freshman year. I started building my vocabulary by making my

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own flip cards, and I had three shoeboxes of the cards by the time I graduated.”
All participants spoke about the need to leam people skills in order to be
successful. Participant #9 said, “There was a lack of mentors and role models to
demonstrate and teach him people skills and the negative peer pressures motivated him to
prove the enemies of progress wrong.”
The participants talked about their journeys as a learning experience, explaining
what they learned and how they learned at every turn, through both bad and good
experiences. They stated that fortitude, resiliency, determination and hard work were
needed in order to achieve their goals.
All Participants experienced a very low time early in their journey. Each one
found the determination to move forward. This motivation was not present in their early
childhood school experience and seemed to be released because of an event that made
them start to believe in themselves. At some point they all made the conscious decision
to succeed in spite o f all the challenges they faced. They were filled with the desire to
overcome their difficulties and they had no doubts that their goals could be realized.
My strategies and personal self-management is very poor. I had very low

self-esteem and suffered from depression. I don’t do well coping with
challenges. I have had many phobias and I also dealt with my own post-
traumatic stress disorder. I am a stronger individual today. I have a task
master and an organizer to assist me with my shortcomings.
Research Question Five Summary
The participants described motivation, informal learning, faith in God, people
skills, and strategic thinking as the cornerstones of their success. The participants
indicated that they developed a strong work ethic that helped them achieve their goals.
All participants agreed that in many ways they motivated themselves. They were
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successful in their own right. They were filled with a desire to overcome their
difficulties. Many had no doubts that their goals could be realized.
Informal learning was a key motivator in their life. All participants spoke about
the need to learn people skills in order to be successful. The participants talked about
their journeys as a learning experience, explaining what they learned and how they
learned at every turn, through both bad and good experiences. They stated that fortitude,
resiliency, determination and hard work were necessary in order to achieve their goals.
All Participants experienced a very low time early in their journey. Each one
found the determination to move forward. Motivation was not present in all the
participants’ early childhood school experience. At some point, they all made the
conscious decision to succeed in spite of all the challenges they faced. They were filled
with the desire to overcome their difficulties and they had no doubts that their goals could
be realized.
Participant #6 said, “It’s hard to say what barriers you’ve overcome because that’s
the only life you lived. “I thought God did not like Orphans,” and “I would tell myself get
up and get out o f the gutter."
Some of the major barriers and obstacles I overcame in relation to being

an orphan were I had to overcome my fears and leam to love. I had terrible
nightmares and dreams which used to haunt me most of my life. Being a
single parent definitely helped me through and I took charge o f my life.
My grandmother was my greatest mentor or role model. She was my
teacher, my muse and my angel.
Participant #8 purported, “The motivators underlying my success were I kept
telling myself that I had to do something with my life in order to survive. I was even
angry with God, in whom everyone but I seemed to trust.”

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Participant #5 quoted Mario Andretti’s as she stated: “Desire is the key to
motivation, but its determination and commitment to an unrelenting pursuit of your goal,
a commitment to excellence that will enable you to attain the success you seek.”
Research Question Six
Some participants described the importance of having mentors and role models
for orphan children even though the majority of the participants expressed their lack of
mentors and role models in their lives. Several participants stated how their lives
changed because a caring and nurturing person chose to guide them. For example:
I had an excellent mentor. He was a pastor of a Dutch Reform Church in

Tampa. He took an interest in me and became a father figure for me. He
has been and will always be a guiding force in my life; still to this day I
use a lot of the advice he gave me over the years in therapy with my
patients.
Another participant said, “I never had a major mentor or a role model that
influenced me throughout this journey.”
Some of the major barriers and obstacles I overcame in relation to being

an orphan was I had to survive all the time. I was faced with unbelievable
amounts of neglect and abuse but got through it with the help of my
mentor and my faith in God.
He said:
I believe the issues that affect orphans’ ability to succeed in life are not
having a mentor or role model to guide them and I think that as orphans
we are not understood at all. There needs to be more anecdotal research on
young men and women who leave orphanages without a parent or family
to guide them down the right path.
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Participant # 4 said, “he did not have one specific role model in his life because of
the constant changes that took place.” He did, however, state: “I can’t describe how any
mentor or role model influenced me because I can’t say that there is truly one person that
led me through my life. When one person that had helped me stepped out another person
picked up.”
There wasn’t one specific mentor or role model that influenced me in my

life. The few people that were a part of my life helped me get through
what I was going through and guided me as best as they could while I was
with them.
I spent 18 years in foster care and all of my mentors were so important to

me. Mentoring made a world of difference in my life. I was raised by a
woman who gave me an incredible foundation from which to leap into the
world. To have that one person in my life who encouraged me to pursue
my talent made a difference.
Participant # 5 said, “I was my own role model. I was determined to survive and
make something of myself. I refused to blame others and refused to become a victim.”
Several participants noted how counselors discouraged or misjudged their
potential. Kuhn et al. (2006) wrote “The Advising and Counseling Continuum” to clarify
the differences between advising, counseling, and mentoring: Advising vs. Counseling
vs. Mentoring, while these terms overlap, they are different. Kuhn et al. (2006) (1)
described a continuum o f levels of complexity and involvement associated with each
role.
Advising is informational and exploratory in nature. An advising

relationship is about setting goals, evaluating obstacles, and providing
guidance in the context of students’ needs and values to help them reach
those goals.
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Mentoring is an ongoing, caring relationship defined by extensive support

and encouragement. It’s an organic relationship that is developed rather
than assigned, as is often the case with advising. Mentors are role models
and can help acculturate their mentees into medicine and/or a specialty.
Counseling is the most complex and involved form of helping where

students are assisted by a trained professional to overcome problems that
interfere with their academic, career, or personal success. A true
counseling relationship is best left to trained counselors and therapists, but
anyone involved in helping students should know how to make effective
referrals, (pp. 24-25)
Figure 4.1
L«ss com plexity M or« complexity

a n d in volvem ent a n d involvem ent
Figure 4.1 Advising vs. Mentoring vs. Counseling Continuum: Kuhn (2006) pp. 24-25.
Your school may use the terms interchangeably, but whatever you call “advisors”
in your school, you must define their roles and responsibilities. Levine et al. (2) described
the use of key advising principles that outline the responsibilities of both advisors and
advisees. These principles provide a basis for conducting faculty development that helps
advisors to appropriately and effectively manage challenging advising situations. Besides
helping advisors feel more comfortable, and effective in their role, developing and
providing explicit guidance about the roles and responsibilities for advisors and advisees
will encourage students to more fully employ and appreciate the advising services
provided by your school.
Developmental advising for careers in Medicine uses Crockett’s (3) definition of
advising where he defines advising as a “developmental process, which assists students in
the clarification of their life/career goals and the development of educational plans for the
realization o f these goals.” According to Crockett, advising is ongoing, multi-faceted, and

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the responsibility of the student and advisor. The advisor is concerned with the growth of
the student, especially regarding personal, academic, and career objectives. Crockett
further defines the developmental advisor as “a facilitator of communication, a
coordinator of learning experiences through course and career planning and academic
progress review, and an agent of referral to other campus agencies as necessary” (3).
Developmental advisors help students set short- and long-term goals, discuss how to
achieve those goals, and monitor progress in fulfilling those goals, (pp. 24-32)
Research Question Six Summary
Several o f the participants had negative responses from the counselors in terms of
advice concerning their educational and academic future. The counselors were not very
encouraging. In one case a counselor discouraged one participant from pursuing higher
education and stated that he should go to trade school. In some cases they belittled the
participants’ career choices.
A librarian was a positive influence on several of the orphans. A librarian taught
one how to read. She also became one participant’s advisor.
The participants described different views as far as mentors and counselors or
advisors and role models were concerned. Two participants stated they had good mentors
and most of the other participants stated that they occasionally found help from a person
who was not their mentor. The theme of the lack of mentors has surfaced several times
throughout the narratives of the participants. Those who did not have mentors developed
a vision of themselves that guided their actions and dispositions.
According to Kuhn (2006), mentoring is an ongoing, caring relationship defined,
by extensive support and encouragement. It’s an organic relationship that is developed
rather than assigned, as is often the case with advising. Some participants expressed that
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their mentors saw something in them that they did not see themselves. They saw their
capabilities and tried to bring them out to maximize their full potential.
Conversely, Petersmeyer (1989) stated:
Mentors and role models, the two types o f mentoring are natural
mentoring and planned mentoring. Natural mentoring occurs through
friendship, collegiality, teaching, coaching, and counseling. In contrast,
planned mentoring occurs through structured programs in which mentors
and participants are selected and matched through formal processes. The
number of mentoring programs has grown dramatically in recent years.
(p. 5)
I had really good supervisors throughout my career. And I think that is

what really made the difference for me. I had people who really paid
attention to my work and they told me when it was not. They really took
the tie to teach me. That is what prepared me the most. I was pursuing
the American Dream.
Participant #7 said, “I don’t ever remember being discouraged (aside from the
college psychologist counselor who told me I was not qualified for college, given my
aptitude and IQ scores).” The school counselors that encouraged these students to pursue
higher education played a major role in the participants’ pursuit of an education. Those
counselors who expressed low expectations for these participants caused a strong and
obstinate reaction that motivated the participants to reject their judgments and pursue
their own course with greater determination.
A profound statement was made by one of the participants she said:
It is very important for an orphan to have at least one caring and nurturing
adult in their lives who believes in them. It does not necessarily have to be
a parent or guardian it could be an advisor, mentor, counselor or spiritual
leader.
Stone (2004) indicates the benefits of mentorship are reciprocal; both mentor and
mentee enjoy the advantages o f such a relationship. It fosters the development and
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growth o f students to see the broader context and lends support during the formative
college years. Mentoring students throughout the college years encourages assistance
beyond graduation by the very nature of its nexus-building relationships. The
combination o f discussion and experience in mentorship provides a platform to assist
students in self-assessment, and reflection. Based on student responses it seems that
structured mentorship programs would enable students to become more efficacious and
confident. The development of such programs would enhance the services offered by the
institutions, organizations and agencies.
Research Question Seven
occur in the classroom (Good & Brophy, 2003; Weinstein, 2002). The influence of the
classroom teacher on the student is often underestimated. Although middle school
teachers spend very little time with their students each day, it is easy to misjudge the
power that one’s teaching practices can have on the students (Anderman & Midgley,
1998). During this time of adolescence, middle school students are particularly sensitive
to their surroundings and to the covert messages that they frequently receive from their
teacher (Weinstein, 2002). Covert teacher messages are reflections of the expectations
teachers have developed about each student (Good & Brophy, 2003; Good & Weinstein,
1986). Children see the covert messages.
Some participants indicated the importance a teacher played in their lives. On the
other hand, most of the participants experienced negative interaction as well as no
interactions or trust with teachers and counselors. All of them noted their education and
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its special skills played a major role in their career success.
For example, Participant #7 stated:
The role the educational system played in my development was very

important. It began with the influence of my seventh-grade teacher and
then a mentor (a Nobel Prize Winner in Economics) in my Ph.D. program.
My seventh-grade teacher convinced me that I could do whatever I set my
mind to. My Ph.D. mentor taught me how to think. I don’t ever
remember being discouraged (aside from a college psychologist who told
me I wasn’t qualified for college, given my aptitude and IQ scores).
Participant #10 said, “I believed that orphans were more likely to continue in
higher education if they had positive educational experiences in childhood and
adolescence. Educators play a pivotal role in enhancing the imagination and quest for
knowledge that students seek.”
I believe that there are certain things that are not available to orphans and
that affects their ability to succeed in life. In school I would not be where I
am today without the knowledge I received from school. Some of my
teachers were sincere and others were just there. I did not allow myself to
get close to build trust. They did not inspire me or encourage me.
Participant #5 seemed ambivalent about her teachers. On the one hand she observed how
her teachers were trustworthy and at the same time she stated how the problem with her
relations with her teachers was inside her.
I mainly made straight A ’s but was constantly getting myself into trouble
due to the incidents and personal issues that I had going on within myself.
The teachers were not trustworthy at all. I didn’t develop any trust within
my teachers only within myself. They didn’t develop any trust with me,
and they never inspired or encouraged me. The problem was never the
teachers; the problem was within me and it took a very long time to deal
with difficulty and I realize it but eventually when I did I vowed to never
get into trouble again. My academic capabilities were always strong. I
was always the only child in my class getting As. I had a behavioral
problem, not an academic one.
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I hated everyone in school. I was always angry and I fought anyone that
stepped in my path. I never had a positive relationship with any teacher. If
I got into trouble I would get beltings from them or they would yell at me;
that was the relationship I had with most of my teachers. When I got older
and I started studying at the University I learned that education is very
important.
Both participants #5 and 2 described negative relationships with teachers and their
inner emotional issues.
Participant #3 noted how a librarian helped him learn to read. He said:
I did not have the luxury of going to school because we were poor. They
had opened a school next to my home and I envied the children that went
into that school every morning. I wished I could attend school. I would
stand outside the school for hours watching all the kids go inside. I
eventually found a spot where I could peek into the classroom. I would try
to take in as much as possible and practice writing in the dirt since I had
no paper or pencil. Eventually a library opened and I started going every
day. A librarian heard about my family and how we were too poor to
afford school. She started to guide me in the choice of books to read and
taught me new words whenever she was able to. She became my advisor.
In reference to counselors, Participant #6 stated:
I got discouraged by one teacher. I was a senior in high school and had to
take a college entry exam. In the orphanage you had chores to do and also
I had to walk to school by the time I got to the take the test I was
exhausted. I had fallen asleep numerous times and didn’t do very well on
the exam.
Participant #6 stated: “My guidance counselor had called me in one day and told
me that she had an interview for me and that I would be better off going to trade school
because I was not higher educational material and that I wouldn’t amount to anything.”
Participant #6 also said, “The motivators underlying my success were hard work,
determination and not becoming what the orphanage and the guidance counselor thought
I should be.”
Participant #8 succumbed to negative influences such as drugs and her emotional

175
difficulties.
I believe that I could have done better regarding my academics but I was
going through many other things at the time. I had a nervous breakdown
when I was 17 and also started using drugs so school was not the first
thing on my mind.
The educational system played a major role in my development and

success. I was taught at a young age that education was a major part of
your life and to always put your best foot forward. I believe the teachers
were trustworthy. I never had a relationship with them to develop trust.
They did not inspire or encourage me anymore than they did the other
students. The teachers, themselves never discouraged me.
My academic capabilities entailed hard work I always went above and beyond in
regards to my academics.
Participant #11 had a strong belief in education that she learned at a young age.
She trusted teachers even though she never felt a strong bond with any one of them.
Research Question Seven Summary
The participants’ response to teacher behaviors, trust in teachers and education in
general was divided. In reference to teacher behaviors most of the participants stated that
the teachers were there to do their job, and not to gain the students’ trust. They also said
that they did not attempt to trust their teachers. In most cases they said the teachers did
not inspire, encourage nor discourage them. Education in general was the major focus of
the participants’ lives because they believed that hard work and dedication would
eventually lead them to success.

176
the degree to which that student will be open to being taught by that teacher.” (Wooden
& McCroskey, 1995, p. 94)
academic tasks as an accurate predictor of their motivation and academic achievements.
The participants indicated the importance the educational system played in their
lives in a positive sense. On the other hand, most of the participants experienced
negative interaction as well as no interaction or trust with teachers and counselors.
These participants believed in the power of education and their own ability to
learn. Few had a strong with an educator. Two benefitted from a teacher and a librarian
who took a deep interest in them.
Research Question Eight
education, faith in divine design, self-concept, career, coping strategies, motivation,
mentors and counselors?
In the descriptions of how the female and male participants compare in the eight
themes, the data revealed several differences between the male and female participants.
In the dimension of childhood, females had a larger support network. The males
were more solitary. Females were less forthcoming and expressed deeper levels of anger
at their treatment than males. Males tended to describe how they repressed their feelings.
Some females worked without pay cleaning, washing dishes, doing laundry and other
domestic work at their place of residence. Some males worked without pay on the farm
connected to their residence.
Some of the findings revealed that both female and male participants felt a sense
of hopelessness, loneliness and powerlessness. Several other factors revealed was their
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faith in divine design at such an early stage in their lives was the catalyst that kept them
secure and centered.
Table 4.4
Gender Differences and Similarities fo r Childhood Descriptions
FEMALES MALES
DIFFERENCES
CHILDHOOD CHILDHOOD
Tendency to have a larger support network Tendency to have a more solitary childhood
They spoke o f women as their network o f support They did not speak o f a network o f support
Two females were raised by a community o f Two males had support from males
females Males are more forthcoming than females
Females are less forthcoming than males Some males worked as farm hands
Some worked as free labor cleaning the home Males were more overt as far as expressing anger
Females reported deeper levels o f anger
SIMILARITIES
CHILDHOOD CHILDHOOD
Unlovable Unlovable
Unacceptable Unacceptable
Innate Survival Skills Innate Survival Skills
Sense o f Abandonment Sense o f Abandonment
Sexual, Physical and Emotional Abuse Sexual, Physical and Emotional Abuse
Profound Neglect Profound Neglect
Self-Motivator Self-Motivator
Sense o f Loneliness/Powerless Sense o f Loneliness/Powerless
The females and males shared commonalities such as faith in God, the ability to
survive, abandonment. They also experienced sexual, physical and emotional abuse.
Some of the females and males felt as though they were neglected and they
motivated themselves.
In terms of other similarities the females and males both felt a sense of
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unworthiness, helplessness, and powerlessness.
Overall, females had more emotional support and males tended to be more
solitary and suppressed their feelings. Table 4.4 illustrates the childhood theme.
In the analysis o f the gender differences and similarities of childhood
descriptions, the females and males shared commonalities such as faith in God, and the
ability to survive abandonment and they also had a larger support network. The males
were more solitary.
In the dimension o f education, the male participants were more formally
educated. The females completed higher education programs too although not in
comparison to the doctorate degrees the four males earned. Only, one female had an
honorary doctorate degree. The male and female participants took their education very
seriously because they knew that education was the catalyst to remove themselves from
poverty.
The female and male participants all have a college education, the finding
revealed they shared different learning styles, and they have a strong commitment to
education and learning. Two females and one male received a scholarship. Additionally,
one male received a scholarship and another male received an internship and fellowship.
Furthermore, four males have doctorate degrees and one female has an honorary
doctorate degree. Two females have master’s degrees. Three females have bachelor
degrees and two males have bachelor degrees.
All 12 participants are highly successful and the males and females stated that
education was the key to their success. They attribute education as the main source of
overcoming their circumstances and less than humble beginnings.
In essence, a strong pattern that emerged among the participants in regards to

179
education is the fact that they all have post-secondary education as well as college
degrees. Table 4.5 illustrates the education theme.
Table 4.5
Gender Differences and Similarities fo r Education Descriptions
FEMALES MALES
DIFFERENCES
EDUCATION EDUCATION
One female has an honorary doctorate degree Four o f the six males have doctorate degrees
Two females have master degrees Two o f the six males have bachelor degrees
Three females have bachelor degrees Males obtained higher levels o f formal education
SIMILARITIES
EDUCATION EDUCATION
All have College Degrees All have College Degrees
Different Learning Styles Different Learning Styles
Commitment to Learning Commitment to Learning
Scholarships Scholarships
Internship Internship
Fellowship Fellowship
In the analysis of the gender differences and similarities of education descriptions,
the male participants were more formally educated. The females completed higher
education programs and one was awarded an honorary doctorate degree, although not in
comparison to the doctorate degrees the four males earned.
In the dimension of faith in divine design, two females reported anger and
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mistrust in God respectively. One male stated he picked himself up out of the gutter
because he knew that if he did not he would be a lost soul. All the other males reported
guidance in their lives by Divine Providence.
The females had difficulty accepting God, for fear of being vulnerable to any
person or spirit. Nevertheless, one male participant said that he knew God loved him and
that he was a good person.
The females and males both shared a belief that their lives were in the hands of
God and it was their faith that kept them on the right path.
A sense of worthiness was instilled in them through faith when their caregivers
and educators were not as encouraging.
Both male and female participants described God as the cornerstone of their
existence. With the exception of one male who said he thought God did not like orphans.
Both female and male participants believe that their lives were charted from birth and the
absence of the parents made it more difficult to achieve success but with resiliency,
perseverance and tenacity they were able to survive and thrive.
After probing the participants further and revisiting some of the prior questions, it
was confirmed that they all knew that something more powerful then earth was the force
that kept them on the right path even when they strayed.
Essentially all participants believed that the divine design or higher power was the
cornerstone o f their existence. Although it was through psychological counseling that the
male participant who believed God did not like orphans was able to see things differently
after undergoing therapy for an extensive period of time. He was able to express himself
in written form to be able to see the impact of what his lack of faith had done to his life.
At the advice of his counselor he wrote his autobiography and doing the process he
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discovered behavior modification through God and repentance.
Stagg (1962) purported repentance is the activity of reviewing one's actions and
feeling contrition or regret for past wrongs. It generally involves a commitment to
personal change and resolving to live a more responsible and humane life. The practice of
repentance plays an important role in the stereological doctrines of the world's major
religions where it is considered necessary for the attainment of salvation. In religious
contexts it often involves an act of confession to a spiritual elder (such as a monk or
priest).
This typically includes an admission of guilt, a promise or resolve not to repeat
the offense; an attempt to make restitution for the wrong, or in some way to reverse the
harmful effects o f the wrong where possible. Within a secular context repentance may
form part of the process o f psychological healing that takes place during a course of
psychotherapy.
To repent:
To review one's actions and feel contrition or regret for something one has
done or omitted to do; (esp. in religious contexts) to acknowledge the
sinfulness of one's past action or conduct by showing sincere remorse and
undertaking to reform in the future, (pp. 118-119)
Table 4.6 illustrates the faith in divine design theme.
In the analysis of the gender differences and similarities of the faith in divine
design descriptions, females reported anger and mistrust in God respectively. Males
reported guidance in their lives by Divine Providence.
In the dimension of career efforts, four males hold doctorate degrees in Medicine,
Education, Economics, and Psychology. Two males hold bachelor degrees, one is
pursuing his masters in Engineering and one is in business.

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Table 4.6
Gender Differences and Similarities fo r Faith in Divine Design Descriptions
FEMALES MALES
DIFFERENCES
FAITH IN DIVINE DESIGN FAITH IN DIVINE DESIGN
One female was angry with God One male thought God did not like orphans
One female did not trust God One male picked himself up out o f the gutter
SIMILARITIES
Faith in God Faith in God

A Strong Faith in God A Strong Faith in God
Sense o f Worthiness Sense o f Worthiness
Sense o f struggling from what is right and Sense o f struggling from what is right and good
good
One female holds an honorary doctorate degree and is in the entertainment
industry. Her career is in fine and performing arts. Two females hold master’s degrees
one in Fine Arts and Communication and the other in business. The other two females
hold bachelors’ degrees, one in nursing and the other in environmental science.
Some o f the skills that the females and males expressed were perseverance,
tenacity, resiliency and determination to graduate from high school and continue in
higher education to achieve a college education. Having a career instead o f a job was the
ultimate symbol o f career success for the Ethnically Diverse participants.
All participants have flourishing careers and also are financially secure. Most
importantly they give back to the community. The males have careers in medicine,
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engineering, business, psychology, economics, and education, and the females have
careers in entertainment, environment, health care, business, fine arts, communication,
and education. All 12 participants have chosen unique pathways to economic and career
success.
Table 4.7
Gender Differences and Similarities fo r Career Efforts Descriptions
FEMALES MALES
DIFFERENCES
CAREER EFFORTS CAREER EFFORTS
Entertainer Business
Successful More Successful
Environmentalist Aerospace Engineer
Poet/W riter/P laywright Talk Show Host
Mental Health Counselor Clinical Psychologist
Social Activist for Aboriginals Activist for Orphans
Advocate for Foster Care System Advocate for Orphanages
Nurse Medical Doctor
Business Executive Economist
Educator Professor
Societal Barriers o f Racial and Gender Prejudice Societal Barriers o f Racial Prejudice
SIMILARITIES
Health Care Health Care

Education Education
Business Business
Authors Authors
Writer/Poet Writer
Inspirational Speaker Inspirational Speaker
Motivational Speaker Motivational Speaker
Gender differences existed among the twelve participants in terms of their chosen
profession or career. Their approach to education is more similar than dissimilar. Table
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4.7 illustrates the career efforts theme.
In the analysis o f the gender differences and similarities for career efforts
descriptions, gender differences existed among the 12 participants in terms of their
chosen profession or career. Their approach to education is more similar than dissimilar.
In the dimension of self-concept, the males had a better concept of themselves
than the females. The males were more outgoing and focused as far as their lives were
concerned. They had higher levels of self-esteem as opposed to the females. The females
were not as outgoing and tended to internalize their feelings more so than the males. The
males spoke their minds and stood up for themselves.
The males and females shared the commonality of emotional healing. They all
agreed that inner strength gave them the fortitude to face their demons and to put aside
the shame o f being an orphan and celebrate their individualization.
The similarities of the females and males included a sense of personal identity, the
purpose of life, a yearning for recognition and to overcome the sense of hopelessness and
sadness.
Participant #10 said, “Orphans are love starved,” and they must “Conquer their
own demons.”
In contrast, the females were able to use emotional intelligence and self- regulated
learning to secure what they needed to accomplish their mission. The males used strategic
thinking and tactical knowledge to meet their needs and accomplish their mission. Table
4.8 illustrates the self-concept theme.
In the analysis of the gender differences and similarities for self-concept
descriptions, the males and females shared the commonality of emotional healing.
In the dimension of coping, the females tended to have a strong mechanism of

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inner strength that helped them navigate in the right direction. They were able to bounce
back when they encountered difficulties and failures, which demonstrated their resiliency.
Table 4.8
Gender Differences and Similarities fo r Self-Concept Descriptions
FEMALES MALES
DIFFERENCES
SELF-CONCEPT SELF-CONCEPT
Females have critical thinking issues Males are more determined

Females are less rational Males are more rational
Females were more passive Males were more aggressive
Females were more spiteful Males were more revengeful
Females were more extroverted Males were more introverted
Females are more ambivalent Males are less ambivalent
Females are more brazen Males are braver
SIMILARITIES
Self-Esteem Self-Esteem
Inner Strength Inner Strength
Stubborn Stubborn
Steadfast Steadfast
Emotional Healing Emotional Healing
Individualization Individualization
Negative Self-Esteem Negative Self-Esteem
The narrative description data revealed that females did not cope as well as the
males. They were more fragile, vulnerable and emotional and their strategic thinking and
tactics were not as strong as their male counterparts. Moreover, the data revealed that the
female participants were less forthcoming than their male counterpart in their
descriptions of the eight themes that emerged in the findings.
The males had an inner strength that was like a protective shell behind which they
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were able to withdraw and shield their feelings from whatever negative circumstances
they encountered. The females said tenacity was the cornerstone of their existence. Both
male and female participants tended to be somewhat vindictive toward the authority
figures that dismissed them or did not see in them the ability to succeed in life.
In addition, other factors such as determination, perseverance, tenacity, resiliency,
inner strength, and confronting obstacles, were coping strategies that both female and
males participants utilized.
Table 4.9
Gender Differences and Similarities fo r Coping Descriptions
FEMALES MALES
Differences
COPING COPING
Females Had Poorer Coping Skills Males Had Better Coping Skills
Females are More Spiteful Males are More Revengeful
M otif o f Failed Return/Lost in the Underworld Higher Power Connection
Less Confident More Confident
Lower Self-Efficacy Higher Self-Efficacy
Emotionally Insecure Emotionally Secure
Charm and Disarm Tactic Knowledge
Virtuous Behavior Utilized Wits
SIMILARITIES
COPING COPING
Determination Determination
Perseverance Perseverance
Tenacity Tenacity
Resiliency Resiliency
Vindictive Vindictive
Overcame Obstacles and Barriers Overcame Obstacles and Barriers
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Determination was at the forefront of all the coping strategies that the males and
females employed to be tenacious and resilient. The males tended to be more extroverted
and vocal as far as their coping skills were concerned. The females were more introverted
and internalized their emotions instead of speaking their minds. Both males and females
found ways to improve their lives.
The males were stoic and determined to accomplish whatever they set their minds
to. They would not bend, perhaps at times they yielded to refocus and replenish their
wounded souls and afterwards they plotted their next move. They had very good
strategic thinking skills that enabled them to adapt to adversity and overcome obstacles
and barriers in most situations. Table 4.9 illustrates the coping theme.
In the analysis o f the gender differences and similarities for coping strategies
descriptions, determination is at the forefront of all the variables due to determination the
males and females were able to be tenacious and resilient.
In the dimension of motivation, the females demonstrated a fierce source of
motivation. Some of the females said that, after experiencing an epiphany, they were
motivated by God. Other females said they took one day at a time because their coping
skills were not very good. Overall, the men tended to manipulate their way through
adversity and would not take no for an answer. One male said that the best revenge is
success. Therefore, he used the negative reactions of people toward orphans as a
motivator to show the naysayers that did not always have the right answers, nor did they
possess a sense of compassion toward the less fortunate. Table 4.10 illustrates the
motivation theme.
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Table 4.10
Gender Differences and Similarities fo r Motivation Descriptions
FEMALES MALES
DIFFERENCES
MOTIVATION MOTIVATION
No Sponsor Sponsor
Emotional Emotionless
Less concerned with naysayers Prove the naysayers wrong
Artistic or intellectual giftedness High sense of feeling special
Determine to survive and be successful Overcome circumstances
Motif of failed return/ in the underworld Motif of return/ achieved orphan
SIMILARITIES
Own Motivator Own Motivator

Self-Motivation Self-Motivation
No is a Motivator No is a Motivator
Sense o f Purpose Sense of Purpose
Source o f Identity Source of Identity
Spiritual Guidance Spiritual Guidance
A Higher Power A Higher Power
In the analysis of the gender differences and similarities for personal motivation
descriptions, a higher power other than the earth was the cornerstone of their existence
which both male and female participants called “The Supreme Being.”
In the dimension of mentors/counselors, the females had a network of caring
adults most especially women who advised and counseled them. The males had mentors
such as pastors, military officers, and teachers but not a network. Some mentors were
helpful to them on an individual basis.

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Ironically, the males had male mentors and role models and the females had
female mentors and role models. The females and males expressed that male and female
external adult role models should be available to both female and male participants
regardless o f gender.
One female participant stated that the value of having one person as a source of
inspiration, encouragement and sponsorship is enough for orphans who do not have
anyone. One male mentioned that having a male mentor who was a father figure helped
steer his course. He also said that some of the advice his mentor gave him he in turn uses
the same techniques with his patients. In essence, the theme is that every orphan needs at
least one caring and nurturing adult to help them become a whole person. Table 4.11
illustrates the mentors/counselors theme.
Table 4.11
Gender Differences and Similarities fo r Mentors/Counselors Descriptions
FEMALES MALES
DIFFERENCES
MENTORS/COUNSELORS MENTORS/COUNSELORS
Two females had female mentors Two males had male mentors
One female had a male mentor One male had a female mentor
SIMILARITIES
N o Mentor No Mentor
Advisor Advisor
External Adult Role Model External Adult Role Model
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In the analysis o f the gender differences and similarities for mentors and
counselors career descriptions, the females had a network of caring adults most were
women who advised and counseled them. The males had mentors, not a network, and
most o f their mentors were men, such as pastors, military officers, and teachers.
Serendipity discovery was evident in the themes, dialectical code notes, field
notes, journals and most importantly the participants’ narrative interviews about their
marriages, marital status and commitment issues. Therefore, the study would not be
complete and the researcher would be remised in the responsibility of telling the
complete story of the participants’ lives if the institution of marriage was omitted or
glossed over or not addressed as a contributing factor in this study.
Furthermore, as Abraham Maslow cited in his “Hierarchy o f Needs,” the basic
needs o f humans must be met (e.g. food, shelter, warmth, security, sense of
belongingness etc.) before a person can achieve self-actualization - the need to be good,
to be fully alive and to find meaning in life. This addresses the love and belonging need
in order to become a healthy human being.
Table 4.12 was added to reveal the 12 participants’ strong views about marriage,
their spouses, their partners as well as their significant others. The participants’ marital
status and gender comparison is illustrated in Table 4.12.
In the analysis of the gender differences and similarities descriptions, marital
status emerged as an important factor. The relevance of this important finding is that
overall the 12 multicultural adult orphans showed a significant difference in their marital
status. Some of the participants had stable marriages, some had multiple marriages and
some had cherished partners and some did not.

191
Table 4.12
Gender Differences and Similarities fo r Marital Status Descriptions
FEMALES MALES
DIFFERENCES
MARITAL STATUS MARITAL STATUS
One female participant had been married once Three male participants had been married once
Two female participants had been married three times No males were married three times
One female participant is single One male participant is divorced
SIMILARITIES
MARITAL STATUS MARITAL STATUS
Two female participants have been married twice Two male participants have been married twice
An emergence o f another factor surfaced in the data finding, which is of utmost
importance and that is the institution of marriage. The relevance of this important finding
is that overall the 12 multicultural adult orphans showed a significant difference in their
marital status. Some had stable marriages and some had multiple marriages.
Attachment behavior in adults towards the child includes responding sensitively
and appropriately to the child’s needs. Such behavior appears universal across cultures.
Attachment theory provides an explanation of how the parent-child relationship emerges
and influences subsequent development. Attachment is a deep and enduring emotional
bond that connects one person to another across time and space (Ainsworth, 1973;
Bowlby, 1969).
Bowlby defined attachment as a “lasting psychological connectedness between
human beings” (1969, p. 194). Bowlby (1980) hypothesized in the childhood

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developmental stage regarding the inability to bond or connect as an infant continues
throughout childhood has a significant effect on one’s adolescent and adulthood life.
The institution of marriage became an emergent recurring factor in the study as
the participants told their stories. The topic of marriage and relationships surfaced and
four of the participants began to speak freely o f how it was difficult for them to establish
loving long-term relationships because they were not taught how to relate or interact with
the opposite sex in a tender loving manner in the institutions, orphanages and foster
homes.
Moreover, most of them did not experience the love, affection and attachment that
one craves from their parents. One male participant said that in the orphanage he lived in
he was taught to use and abuse women, and black people, which he ultimately did until
the collapse o f his first marriage.
For example, a brief synopsis of the institution of marriage scenario from
participant #6 and its relation to Bowlby’s (1980) Loss and attachment theory.
Participant #6, a Caucasian male stated:
I have two family lives. My first life is when I got married when I was a
junior in college. That was a terrible mistake. I only married her because
she was pregnant and she said she was going to get an abortion and I don’t
believe in them. I also never respected any woman. In the orphanage home
they taught us to only respect White men. We weren’t allowed to respect
women or Black people and that was sad because I always had Black
friends. They didn’t teach us to hate women; they taught us to use them,
abuse them and leave them. I never physically abused my wife but I had
several affairs and I didn’t know that was wrong because all my life I was
taught that.
My first family life was really messed up. I got things straightened out
with that through counseling. My second family life I remarried and she
brought four children into the marriage and we raised one on our own.
Counseling has really helped me throughout my second family life as to be
honest with people and things like that.
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The inability to form intimate and lasting relationships was a serious hindrance in
several of the participants’ lives. The participants said, “They always felt like an
outsiders looking in, never like insiders looking out.” There is a constant need to please
for acceptance and an equal fear of ostractization, rejection and paranoia. The constant
need for approval and fear of isolation rejection and abandonment is a recurring issue as
well as nightmare.
Furthermore, because the male and female participants did not grow up in a
loving family environment there were no positive nurturing role models to emulate.
In the dimension o f marriage, the study revealed that the marital status
comparison between the male and female participants showed significant differences in
terms o f stable marriages, multiple marriages, no marriages and cherished relationships
that surfaced in the study. The institution of marriage was inclusive in the research study
of the participant’s lives because it is the nucleus of the attachment and loss theory as
well as the completeness of the life cycle.
Research Question Eight Summary
The gendered expression of emotion and feminized research protocol call for a
reevaluation o f our research methods. As Wood (2001) explained, “the male deficit
model maintains that men are not adept at intimacy because they are less interested or
able than women to disclose emotions, reveal personal information, and engage in
communication about intimate topics” (p. 195). The male deficit model is based on
decades o f research that considers self-disclosure and expression of emotion as relational
building blocks.
For example, Altman and Taylor’s (1973) Social Penetration Theory is based on
the depth and breadth of self-disclosure as relationship markers. Since, men are less
194
likely than women to express emotion and self-discourse, our society often views men as
less interpersonally competent. The alternate path model, however, takes into
consideration the ways men express closeness that are different than the paths women
take to closeness.
Conversely, when we say, “Women’s communication is more personal than
men’s,” the statement is true of most, but not all, women and men. Certainly some
women don’t engage in personal talk, and some men do. Many factors, including race,
economic class, and sexual identity, shape how specific women and men communicate
(Zinn, Hondagneu-Sotelo, & Messner, 2007).
For example, Swain (1998) discovered that men develop close same sex
friendships through doing activities together. Hence, men and women might take
alternate paths to the same destination. Given these separate routes, the following is
summary of female and male differences and similarities regarding their orphan
experience are shared.
Gender comparison data findings revealed that female orphans are not as
forthcoming with their stories of their orphanhood as males. They are not readily willing
to share their life story with the public. Most of the female participants mentioned that
they are still in the hiding because of the negative and distasteful stigma associated with
being an orphan. They have a facade.
The narrative data revealed that females do not cope as well as the males. They
were more expressive and revealing about their fragile, vulnerable and emotional states.
Their strategic thinking and tactics were not as well developed as their male counterparts.
Moreover, the data revealed that the female participants were the less forthcoming than
their male counterpart in their descriptions of the eight themes, which emerged in the
195
findings.
The Caucasian and Ethnically Diverse male and female orphan participants shared
similar views in reference to issues affecting the success of multicultural orphans
regardless o f their race or ethnicity. Research question nine guided the investigation
when asked to compare the issues faced by Caucasian and Ethnically Diverse orphans.
The male and female participants shared similar views regarding issues affecting
the success of multicultural and ethnically diverse orphans regardless of their race or
ethnicity. However, when asked to compare those issues to the issues faced by Ethnically
Diverse orphans, several participants from both male and female groups did believe that
Caucasian and Ethnically Diverse orphan students have cultural and academic needs to
which educators should be more sensitive.
Research Question Nine
In the descriptions of how the Caucasian and Ethnically Diverse multicultural
adult orphan participants compare in their description of the eight themes, the data
revealed that the Caucasian participants were more forthcoming and descriptive
compared to their Ethnically Diverse counterpart.
Despite growing racial and ethnic diversity in the U.S., the 2000 Census results
show little change in segregation. Sociologists measure racial segregation using a
segregation index (or index of dissimilarity). The index ranges from 0 to 100, giving the
percentage o f a group that would have to move to achieve even residential patterns.
According to Banks (2004), this is analogous to Caucasians having more

196
opportunities than the Ethnically Diverse orphans by the nature of their birth or skin
color. When a Caucasian orphan walks into a room one does not see any disadvantage,
the word orphan is not written on their face; therefore, the observer sees a white person,
and at that moment, many doors are open.
On the other side o f the coin when an Ethnically Diverse orphan walks into a
room one does see a disadvantage, the word orphan is not written on their face; however,
by the nature o f their birth right or skin color; the observer sees a black, brown, red, or
yellow person, and at that moment all doors are not open (Banks, 2004).
With that said, the Caucasian orphans in this study are more formally educated
and more of the participants earned terminal degrees. Although the Ethnically Diverse
orphans are highly educated, they expressed that all doors were not opened to them.
Nevertheless, they were able to find a way to receive an education and achieved college
degrees. One participant said, “A college degree does not make one more educated or
successful.” The participant used Bill Gates as an example.
In comparing and contrasting the Caucasian and Ethnically Diverse adult orphan
participants’ differences and similarities in relation to the eight themes, the findings
revealed that the Caucasians had higher sense of self-esteem and self-worth. The
Ethnically Diverse participants reported higher levels of ambition, tenacity and
determination.
Some highlights of their stories in relation to their differences and similarities are
told in their own narratives.
Participant #1, a Caucasian female, said:
“It was assumed that I knew how to read by the age of five but
unfortunately I didn’t know how to because no one had taught me. I had to
learn through the teachings of others and it was a very strange interaction
197
due to the fact that I thought they would laugh at me but they didn’t. I
started writing with pictures and that has been documented as early as four
years old. That was the beginning of my writing. All my mentors
encouraged me to write or draw pictures. I also learned how to dance
through a book. It was an amazing experience.”
Participant #6, a Caucasian male, stated:
“I have two family lives. My first life is when I got married when I was a
junior in college. That was a terrible mistake. I only married her because
she was pregnant and she said she was going to get an abortion and I don’t
believe in them. I also never respected any woman. In the orphanage home
they taught us to only respect white men. We weren’t allowed to respect
women or black people, and that was sad because I always had black
friends. They didn’t teach us to hate women; they taught us to use them,
abuse them and leave them. I never physically abused my wife but I had
several affairs and I didn’t know that was wrong because all my life I was
taught that.
“My first family life was really messed up. I got things straightened out
through counseling. My second family life, I married and she brought four
children into the marriage and we raised one on our own. Counseling has
really helped me throughout my second family life to be honest with
people and things like that.”
Although two o f the participants from the Caucasian and Ethnically Diverse
groups did not believe that Ethnically Diverse orphans faced different issues than
Caucasian orphans, the rest of the participants from the group did.
Three o f the participants from the Ethnically Diverse group shared the same views
as the participants from the Caucasian group. However, they also believed that diverse
students faced additional issues such as being outcasts.
Participant #9 cites his experience of being ethnically diverse in school. He stated:
Arriving from a major city like Paris, France to T State University in a

small city o f about 6,000 people in population located in the Midwestern
United States was completely a very different experience. “I arrived at T
State University during the winter/spring period. Compared to Paris’s
weather the Midwestern United States weather at this particular
moment was below freezing temperature. Upon my arrival I decided to
start hitting the books. However, I realized I was the only black kid with
accent in the whole school. It was very difficult to make friends at the
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early stage. At the cafeteria 1 sat down with my tray at a table half full
with students. The moment I sat down everybody at the table left to
another table. In class I sat in the front-row and everyone got up and
moved to the back-row. I was concerned but not discouraged.”
Hit the books R. advised by my senior business partner (God) because that
is the only way to resolve this situation. Accordingly, I started to hit the
books. After two weeks we had a test in one of my classes. After grading
the test the teacher came to class and announced a huge gap between the
highest score and the second score. Then the teacher turned to me and said
R. you are the one with the highest score. Everyone in the class was
shocked and that marked a major turning point in my making friends
with a lot o f students. I turned around and everybody was clapping and
saying nice going “Cool R.” After class every one of the students called
me “Cool R.”
At the cafeteria that day I went and sat at an empty table by myself as
always. But this time my highest score in the test was all over the school
and as a result many o f the students came over and sat at my table. With
big smile all over my face I looked surprise but got up from the table and
went to another empty table. There was a big laugh in the whole cafeteria.
The guys that joined my table were all saying come-on Cool R. and
everyone came over and joined me again at the other table. We all started
laughing. From this moment I became a very popular kid at the school.
Participant # 6, a Caucasian male, stated: “that he always believed God did not
like orphans.”
Overall the respondents from both Caucasian and Ethnically Diverse groups had a
strong pattern that emerged among two participants, one from the Caucasian group and
one from the Ethnically Diverse group. The pattern was that the strongest grandparent
relationships were on the maternal side of the family.
In the descriptions o f how the Caucasian and Ethnically Diverse respondents
compare in the eight themes, the data revealed several differences between the Caucasian
and Ethnically Diverse participants.
In the dimension of childhood, the Caucasian participants were more inclusive,
respected, tolerated and received less rejection than the Ethnically Diverse participants.
199
As for the Ethnically Diverse participants they felt less inclusive, respected,
tolerated and felt were rejected because of their race. Table 4.13 illustrates the childhood
theme.
Table 4.13
Ethnically Diverse and Caucasian Differences and Similarities fo r Childhood Experience

Descriptions
ETHNICALLY DIVERSE CAUCASIAN
DIFFERENCES
CHILDHOOD CHILDHOOD
Denigration Elevation
Exclusion Inclusion
Indifference Tolerance
Rejection Acceptance
Less Respect More Respect
Racism was a barrier Racism was not a barrier
Less Opportunities More Opportunities
Ostracized More Recognition
Disadvantaged Advantaged
Obscure Survival Instinct Strategic Tactics
Identity as a good person Identity as a capable person
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Internal Turmoil
SIMILARITIES
CHILDHOOD CHILDHOOD
Sense o f Unworthiness Sense o f Unworthiness

Absence o f Parents Absence o f Parents
Given Hand-Outs Given Hand-Outs
Abandoned Abandoned
Craved Affection Craved Affection
Exploited Exploited
Lack o f Personal Identity Lack o f Personal Identity
Longing for Closeness Longing for Closeness
No Sense o f Belonging No Sense o f Belonging
Separation o f Siblings Separation o f Siblings
Simultaneous Existence Simultaneous Existence
o f Love and Fear o f Love and Fear
Emotionally Starved Emotionally Starved
200
In the analysis of Ethnically Diverse and Caucasian differences and similarities
for childhood experience descriptions, the Ethnically Diverse and Caucasian participants
shared more similarities than differences.
In the dimension of education, the Caucasian participants seemed more ambitious.
They reported more opportunities and advantages and expressed a sense of entitlement to
their opportunities. There were fewer opportunities available to the Ethnically Diverse
participants and they felt a sense of indifference, as if they were not entitled to the
opportunities and advantages the Caucasian participants received.
There were some differences in formal education. Among the six Caucasian
participants two had doctorate degrees, one had an honorary doctorate degree, one had a
master’s degree and two had bachelor degrees.
Among the six Ethnically Diverse participants, two had doctorate degrees two had
masters degrees and two had bachelor degrees.
In essence, the Caucasian participants were not more formally educated because
one participant had an honorary doctorate degree; therefore, after reviewing the data, the
findings indicated that the Ethnically Diverse participants’ education was equivalent to
the Caucasian participants. Moreover, the Caucasian and the Ethnically Diverse
participants had comparable undergraduate educations. Table 4.14 illustrates the
education theme.
In the analysis o f Ethnically Diverse and Caucasian differences and similarities for
education experience description, Caucasian participants reported a greater sense of
entitlement to educational opportunities and strategic knowledge, while the Ethnically
Diverse population expressed their pursuit of education as developing critical thinking
skills, adaptive thinking and a determination to overcome bias.

201
Table 4.14
Ethnically Diverse and Caucasian Differences and Similarities fo r Education

Descriptions
DIFFERENCES
EDUCATION EDUCATION
More Negative More Ambitious

No Sense o f Entitlement A Sense o f Entitlement
Critical Thinking Skills Tactic Knowledge
Burning Desire to Succeed Adaptation to Adversity
Adaptive Thinking Strategic Thinking
Overcame Inequalities Equal Opportunities
Prejudice/Bias Encounters No Racial Prejudice
SIMILARITIES
EDUCATION EDUCATION
Bully/Bullied Bully/Bullied
Different Learning Styles Different Learning Styles
Corporal Punishment Corporal Punishment
Teachers Discouraged Teachers Discouraged
Academic Self-Efficacy Academic Self-Efficacy
Self-Taught Self-Taught
No Trust In Teachers No Trust In Teachers
Scholarships Scholarships
Self-Management Self-Management
In the dimension of faith in divine design, the Caucasian participants believed that
God was guiding their lives and that he knew what their needs were. One participant said
he believed that God loved him because he was a good person. Another participant said
God is my boss.
The Ethnically Diverse participants held similar beliefs as far as God is
concerned. One participant said that God was his senior business partner and another
participant said that God chose him as his child before he was bom.
202
Almost all of the participants expressed a sense of divine purpose in their lives,
even though they attributed their success to hard work and determination.
Table 4.15 illustrates the divine design theme.
Table 4.15
Ethnically Diverse and Caucasian Differences and Similarities fo r Faith in Divine

Design Descriptions
DIFFERENCES
God’s mercy will redeem me I am a good person

God is my boss God loves me
Child o f God God does not like orphans
Thought God had abandoned her Keep the Faith
God was my Counselor Higher Power
God knows our needs The truth is the best medicine
God is My Confidante God Has A Purpose For Me
God was my senior business partner Chosen as God’s before birth
God Has A Purpose For Me God is My Advisor
SIMILARITIES
God Is My Refuge God Is My Refuge

Faith Directive Faith Directive
Commitment to Goodness Commitment to Goodness
Divine Intervention Divine Intervention
Sense o f Worthiness Sense o f Worthiness
Determination to Help Others Determination to Help Others
Spiritual Guide Spiritual Guide
In the analysis o f Ethnically Diverse and Caucasian differences and similarities
for faith in divine design descriptions, the participants’ belief in God and a higher power
or the Supreme Being was the core of all 12 Ethnically Diverse and Caucasian
203
participants’ spiritual existence.
In the dimension o f career efforts, the Caucasians tended to be more work
oriented as well as master manipulators. One participant said that he worked without
regard to time and tried to out publish his competition. Another participant said to never
underestimate yourself in regards to your work ethic. The Caucasian participants worked
well under pressure to elevate themselves.
Table 4.16
Ethnically Diverse and Caucasian Differences and Similarities fo r Career Efforts

Descriptions
DIFFERENCES
Work to Overcome Extreme Poverty Work Tirelessly Without Regard to Time

Improve Their Life Elevate Themselves
Hard Worker Workaholic
Driven to Achieve Out Worked Others
Internal Burning Desire to Succeed Out Published Others
Racism Prejudice
Found Good Guidance Found Mentor
SIMILARITIES
Adapt to Adversity Adapt to Adversity

Be Independent Be Independent
Self-Regulate Learning Self-Regulate Learning
Use Knowledge to Advance Used Knowledge to Advance
Focus on Goals Focus on Goals
The Ethnically Diverse participants worked to overcome poverty. They were
driven to succeed. Therefore, they did what was expected of them to up-grade their
status. One participant said, “I had a burning desire to succeed.” Another participant
204
said I encountered a great deal of racism which gave me a drive and desire to succeed.”
Table 4.16 illustrates the career efforts theme.
Table 4.17
Ethnically Diverse and Caucasian Differences and Similarities fo r Self-Concept

Descriptions
DIFFERENCES
Personal B elief in One’s Goodness Personal Belief in One’s Capacity to do good

Moderate Academic Self-Efficacy High Academic Self-Efficacy
Set Goals Set Long Range Goals
Determined to Achieve Goals Relentless Goal Pursuits
More open to a Divine Design More Self-Reliant
SIMILARITIES
Programmed not to trust Programmed not to trust

Efficacy Efficacy
Self-Efficacy Self-Efficacy
Lack o f Compassion Lack o f Compassion
Ambition Ambition
Emotional Intelligence Emotional Intelligence
Sense o f Purpose for Life Sense o f Purpose for Life
Overcoming Abuse Overcoming Abuse
Searching how to give meaning to my life Searching how to give meaning 1
In the analysis o f Ethnically Diverse and Caucasian differences and similarities
for career efforts descriptions, the dependent variable in this study was career success,
which all twelve participants achieved.
In the dimension of self-concept, the Caucasians tended to have a drive to succeed

205
regardless o f the circumstances surrounding their objective or goal. They were relentless
in their pursuits of success and self-sufficiency.
The Ethnically Diverse participants had a burning desire to succeed also. They did
not allow their race or ethnicity to be a deterrent. Although they tended to struggle with
self-esteem and self-worth issues, they were able to hold themselves in high esteem in
order to accomplish their mission. Their race or ethnicity did not challenge their sense of
identity as much as their orphanhood. Table 4.17 illustrates the self-concept theme.
for self-concept descriptions, all participants acquired a strong sense of themselves in
numerous capacities and manners through different avenues and unique pathways.
In the dimension of coping, the Caucasian participants used critical thinking skills
as a coping mechanism and they tended to be master manipulators, they adapted to
diversity more readily then the Ethnically Diverse participants. Even at times when two
participants expressed anger at the system they stayed the course and did whatever was
necessary to overcome their circumstances. In some case they were very dogmatic but
kept the vision o f the future in sight.
The Ethnically Diverse participants expressed that they had difficulty with their
critical thinking skills because they were coping with being a minority as well as an
orphan. It was extremely difficult for them to adapt to diversity because they felt a sense
o f inferiority coupled with an inherent sense of unworthiness, which stemmed from the
fact that their parents abandoned them so why would society want to accept them. Table
4.18 illustrates the coping theme.

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Table 4.18
Ethnically Diverse and Caucasian Differences and Similarities fo r Coping Descriptions
DIFFERENCES
COPING COPING
Self-Critical Thinking Skills Critical Thinking Skills

Manipulative Master Manipulator
Spiteful Revengeful
Internalize Anger Overcoming Anger
Perseverance Vision o f the Future
Tenacity Rewarded Diligence Rewarded
Sense o f Unworthiness Sense o f Worthiness
Self-Nourishing Inner Voice Inner Voice in Touch with Divine Design
SIMILARITIES
COPING COPING
Resilience Resilience
Survival Skills Survival Skills
Adaptation to Adversity Adaptation to Adversity
Strategic Thinking Strategic Thinking
Tactic Knowledge Tactic Knowledge
Emotional Intelligence Emotional Intelligence
Steadfastness Steadfastness
Self-Regulated Learning Self-Regulated Learning
Coping Strategies Coping Strategies
Coping Skills Coping Skills
Inability to Bond Inability to Bond
Face Obstacles and Barriers Face Obstacles and Barriers
Learned to be Self-Sufficient Learned to be Self-Sufficient
Learned to Survive Learned to Survive
for coping strategies descriptions, the Caucasian participants used critical thinking skills
as a coping mechanism and they tended to be master manipulators, they adapted to
diversity more readily then the Ethnically Diverse participants.

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In the dimension of motivation, the Caucasian participants appeared to be more
ambitious and more motivated; they depend on themselves for motivation. In most case
they all felt that God was the source of their determination to succeed. One participant
stated that he want to make his seventh grade teacher proud. Two others said they were
motivated by the professionals who told them they were not college material and should
pursue a trade or try working in the trucking and transportation fields.
Participant # 5, a Caucasian female, said:
“Some advice I give to my clients:
1. If you have a goal or a dream:

Ask yourself what do I need to do to meet the objective?
Ask yourself what am I doing today to make it happen?
2. If you are writing a dissertation, book, journal, article or a basic essay or homework
assignment:
Ask yourself what do I need to do to accomplish this task?”
Participant # 5 answered by saying “Write at least one page every day.”
The Ethnically Diverse participants had a more difficult time with motivation due
to the fact that they felt disadvantaged. They were afraid of revealing the truth about
being an orphan or growing up in institutions, orphanages or the foster care system. The
Ethnically Diverse participants stated that they must succeed against all odds. They
suffered humiliation that gave them the fuel to strive for redemption. Table 4.19
illustrates the motivation theme.
for motivation descriptions, all of the independent variables were viable in the
participants’ determination to overcome the odds.

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Table 4.19
Ethnically Diverse and Caucasian Differences and Similarities fo r Motivation

Descriptions
DIFFERENCES
Sponsor No Sponsor
Burning Desire to Succeed Make Something o f M yself
Driven to Succeed A Vision o f the Future
Clear Purpose Angels Watching Over Me
Disadvantaged Social Status Advantaged Social Status
Determined to be Somebody Vision o f M yself
Fulfdl One’s Inner Vision Fulfill Someone’s Faith In Me
SIMILARITIES
MOTIVATION MOTIVATIION
God was my motivator God was my motivator

The Holy Spirit The Holy Spirit
Faith Faith
Self-Motivation Self-Motivation
Self-Efficacy Self-Efficacy
Sponsor Sponsor
Rejection Rejection
Revenge Revenge
In the dimension of mentors/counselors, the Caucasian participants had positive
and negative experiences with their mentors and counselors. Two participants, one
Caucasian and one Ethnically Diverse said they had no mentors at all and they were their
own mentors. Two Ethnically Diverse women had a strong supportive network of wise
women as advisors and confidants.
The Ethnically Diverse participants expressed that they had to endure emotional
healing and that did not come from an environment where mentors and counselors were
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available to them. Two participants said they were motivated because they were
determined and able to adapt to all situations. As far as the mentors and counselors were
concerned, two participants expressed that they had major trust issues about revealing the
intimate details of their lives to the counselor for fear of confidentiality.
Table 4.20
Ethnically Diverse and Caucasian Differences and Similarities fo r Mentors/Counselors

Descriptions
ETHNICALLY DIVERSE CAUSCASIAN
DIFFERENCES
One female was her on mentor One male had no mentor

Librarian Guidance Counselor
Foster Mothers Pastor
Community o f Wise Women Therapist
Maternal Mother Figure Paternal Father Figure
Had Good Supervisors Military Colonel
Words o f Wisdom from an adult Paternal Father Figure
SIMILARITIES
Teacher Teacher
Advisor Advisor
No Role Model No Role Model
GOD GOD
Grandmother Grandmother
Counselor Counselor
No Mentor No Mentor
Sponsor Sponsor
All twelve Caucasian and Ethnically Diverse participants expressed that their
experience of being an orphan during childhood left them feeling alone and searching for
a sense of self-worth. The authority figures in school as well as outside of school

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frequently communicated to them that they were unworthy of their attention and care.
Once they found a mentor or role model, they found a reason to improve their lives, skills
and a purpose for living. Once they entered the world of work they found the tools that
they were learning to be interesting, the knowledge they were acquiring to be meaningful,
and the mentors who came into their lives as caring. Table 4.20 illustrates the
mentors/counselors theme.
for mentors and counselors descriptions, external role models were an essential part of
the participants’ development. As far as similarities are concerned some participants had
incidents of negative counselor interaction and in some instances the participants were
their own mentors and role models.
Research Question Nine Summary
In the descriptions of how the Caucasian and Ethnically Diverse participants
compare in the eight themes, the data revealed several similarities between the Caucasian
and Ethnically Diverse participants.
In the dimension of childhood, the Caucasian and Ethnically Diverse participants
shared more commonalities than differences. As for the similarities for example: (a)
sense o f worthlessness, (b) felt like a motherless and fatherless child, (c)absence of
parents, (d) exploited, (e) lack of heritage and personal identity, (f) sense of loneliness,
(g) sense o f abandonment, (h) felt emotionally starved, (i) scarred and marred, (j) craved
affection, (k) given hand-outs, (1) separation from siblings, (m) lack of nurturing, (n) lack
a sense o f belonging, (o) simultaneous existence of love and fear, (p) a longing for
closeness, and (q) no knowledge of parents.
Participant # 3, an Ethnically Diverse male stated, “I experienced loneliness,

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helplessness and the pain of abandonment while I was in the orphanage. The deep
emotional wounds caused me not to trust anyone.”
In the dimension of education, all twelve participants share more similarities in
the sense that they are all highly educated with college degrees. Two females had
scholarships and two males had scholarships, and one female had an internship and one
male had a fellowship. The other participants shared stories of how they had to work
their way through college and one female said she quit high school in 10th grade only to
return later to complete high school and go on to college and earn her degree. One other
female stated she went back to school later in life and felt uncomfortable going to school
with the younger students.
Education was a component that led to their success. The Caucasian and
Ethnically Diverse participants stated their relationships with teachers before college
were not strong or personally supportive.
Senge (1995) promoted a traditional perspective that leaders were people who
established direction, held the decision-making capacity and were responsible for
followers. Additionally, Senge viewed the new perspective of leadership as one that
should be that o f designer, steward and teacher.
parents, and adversity and poverty, and they faced general problems of their lineage
identity. Another important quality Macy (2000) discussed was a desire for personal
growth. Orphans found value in education that boosted their self-esteem. A student
claimed, “a lot o f people look at their college degree as a piece of paper, but to me it is a
symbol o f triumph over adversity, over many of the biggest challenges of my life”
(Macy, 2000, p. 41).

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the degree to which that student will be open to being taught by that teacher” (Wooden &
McCroskey, 1995, p. 94)
In the dimension o f faith in divine design the participants’ belief in God and a
higher power or the Supreme Being was the core of all twelve Caucasian and Ethnically
Diverse participants’ spiritual existence.
According to Wilkerson (2009), have faith in god's faithfulness means:
Faith begins with a total abandonment of oneself into God’s care, but our faith must be
active, not passive. We must have full confidence that God can and will do the
impossible. Jesus said, “With God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26). “With God
nothing shall be impossible” (Luke 1:37).
In the dimension of career efforts, the dependent variable in this study is career
success. Career success was achieved by all 12 participants. They achieved a prominent
status in their careers because of their persistence in achieving goals, a strong sense of
self, excellent work ethic, creative thinking, enterprising skills; emotional intelligence
combined with a high-caliber education that helped to ensure their continued success.
In the dimension o f self-concept, all participants acquired a strong sense of
themselves in numerous capacities and manners through different avenues and unique
pathways. The twelve participants penned their soul-numbing similar survival stories on
the discovery of their source of identity which solidified their self-concept.
Shavelson et al. (1976) succinctly defined self-concept as:

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constructs which it is related to, such as academic performance, (p.409)
In the dimension of coping, it is extremely important to understand that in order
for the participants to reach the pentacle of economic and career success, they had
resilience and developed a protective shield to cope and to survive the tragedy, obstacles,
trials and tribulations they endured along their unique pathways to their current status in
life.
Resiliency was the primary similarity that all 12 Caucasian and Ethnically
Diverse participants shared. Resilience is the ability to thrive or bounce back from
adverse experiences (Rutter, 1987). Glicken (2006) states resilience is: (a) the ability to
withstand and rebound from disruptive challenges in life; the ability to thrive, nurture,
and increase one’s competence in the face of adverse circumstances; (b) the ability to
“bounce back” from adverse situations, to overcome the negative influences that often
block achievement; and (c) the capacity for successful adaptation, positive functioning or
competence in spite of high levels of risk, chronic stress, or prolonged or severe traumas
(p. 12).
In the dimension of motivation, all of the independent variable which are (a) self
regulated learning, (b) self-motivation, (c) self-management, (d) self-concept (e) self-
efficacy, (f) academic self-efficacy, (g) academic self-concept, (h) teacher-student
relationship, (i) adversity, (j) strategy, (k) tactic-knowledge, (1) strategic thinking, (m)
academic self-efficacy, and (n) emotional intelligence were instrumental in one form or
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another in the participants’ life history.
In the dimension o f mentors/counselors, external role models were an essential
part o f the participants’ development. As far as similarities are concerned some
participants had incidents of negative counselor interaction and in some instances the
participants were their own mentors and role models. Several of the participants said that
without the mentors or sponsors their journey may have taken another path.
An example of external role models or mentors is cited below:
Participant # 1, a Caucasian female, said:
A person can be a mentor by merely teaching a child how to tell time,

where in my case I was going to St. Patrick’s in Massachusetts and it was
presumed I knew how to tell time when I reached the fifth grade but I did
not. I was too afraid to tell someone, too ashamed to tell someone I didn’t
know how to tell time because I had missed it thru the oddity of foster
care. I finally learned on my own which was very difficult. Someone took
the time to teach me how to read roman numerals and that person to me
was a champion. That person didn’t laugh or express shock that I didn’t
know how to tell time; instead they said here let me show you. It is various
mentors that make a difference in a person’s life whether I in foster care or
not.
Although two of the participants from the Caucasian and Ethnically Diverse
groups did not believe that Ethnically Diverse orphans faced different issues than
Caucasian orphans, the rest o f the participants from the group did.
Three o f the participants from Ethnically Diverse group shared the same views as
the participants from the Caucasian group. However, they also believed that Ethnically
Diverse orphans faced additional issues such as being outcasts.
The Ethnically Diverse and Caucasian participants in the study described the
necessity multicultural and ethnically diverse orphans indicated was important for
educators, teachers and counselors to allow orphans to share in their knowledge and
experiences as far as their individual differences and culture is concerned. Participant # 5

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said: “You have to look at who we are and where we are coming from in order to teach
us. Hence have orphan students perform cultural interactive assessments with each other
in order that everybody could “share their knowledge, culture and experiences.”
Participant #3, a male Chinese American, and Participant #9, male Nigerian
American, spoke about their quest to achieve “The America Dream.” They also spoke
about the importance o f inclusion, culture awareness and multicultural education.
Surmounting obstacles and barriers along with the hard journey gave the
participants the foundation for becoming successful.
Other issues regarding the preparation and accountability of teachers that have
come to the national forefront seem less important to these successful adult orphans than
the ability o f at least one teacher to relate to them in a more compassionate and nurturing
manner.
At the end o f the interview the researcher debriefed the research participants by
reflecting on the large themes within their descriptions of their lives in a way that
communicated respect for their experiences and emotional reality.
Upon review and analysis of the data collected, this study demonstrated that a
relationship existed among all the adult orphan participants regardless of their gender,
culture, racial or ethnic identity.
A common theme among the responses of the participants is that the primary
motivation was their faith in God. All participants agreed education and having a strong
academic background were contributing factors to their success.
Further discussion during the interviews prompted the researcher to question the
participants to elaborate on the eight themes that emerged from the data analysis.
The researcher’s transition to a brief review of the next phase of the research
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participants’ involvement in the study ensued and tacitly ended the deep work. Again, I
reminded them that they would be receiving a copy of the essential description for
verification, additional commentary, and correction.
After interviewing all twelve multicultural and ethnically diverse adult orphan
participants, the researcher contacted the participants again in March 2013 because after
all the data were transcribed and analyzed another major pertinent question arose. The
question was regarding their childhood from age seven to twelve to understand how they
were able to have such a strong self-concept and determination to defy the odds and the
stamina. Moreover, how did their self-concept, self-efficacy, strategic thinking and tactic
knowledge help them to survive as far as their sense of self-worth and ethnicity were
concerned.
The research revealed when comparing and contrasting Caucasian and Ethnically
Diverse adult orphans, the Caucasians achieved higher status in their careers than
Ethnically Diverse adult orphans.
Upon review and analysis of the data collected, this study demonstrated that a
common thread o f resilient determination to achieve success existed among all the
multicultural adult orphan participants regardless of their gender, culture, race or
ethnicity.
In summation this study examined 12 successful multicultural adult orphans who
were not adopted and their life history from childhood to adulthood to reveal the
theoretical underpinning o f their successful careers.
Chapter Five will present conclusions and recommendations based on the findings
reported in chapter four.

CHAPTER V
SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Introduction
This chapter presents a summary o f the findings reported in this study,
conclusions supported by these results and a research literature review in the field of
multicultural adult orphans. In addition, a brief synopsis of the statement of the problem
and an explanation o f the research design.
The purpose o f this study was to examine and analyze common factors that
successful multicultural and ethnically diverse adult orphans who were not adopted
possessed that contributed to their becoming successful in their lives and careers.
The theoretical underpinning for this phenomenological study presents the
findings o f and their relationship to the existing research literature. Recommendations
based on the findings are also presented. This study examined a topic concerning
orphans that has not been brought to the forefront and attention of the public.
Furthermore, upon completion of the data analyzes, emergent themes revealed
how the original research questions in the study should be revised. Therefore, the
research questions were revised to support the emergent queries, questions and themes.
In addition an addendum question with probes was added to the research
questions due to emergent queries, anecdotal data and memorable quotes,
The methodological instrument utilized was comprised of a 22-question interview
protocol with probes and an eight question demographic questionnaire.

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This study was limited to twelve multicultural and ethnically diverse adult orphan
participants who were not adopted from the United States of America and Australia. Six
were female and six were male. Three females were Caucasian, and three were ethnically
diverse; three males were Caucasian, and three were ethnically diverse. They were
purposefully selected for this study based on their status as orphans, and their authorship
of a biography, autobiography or article about their life experience and successful
careers.
The first part of this chapter will summarize the qualitative results of the study,
conclusions supported by these results with respect to the current literature and the
second and final section will discuss recommendation and implications for future
research.
Summary
Nine research questions guided this study:
Research question one asked, “What patterns, similarities and discrepancies did
orphaned adults who achieved responsible and productive lives and careers describe in
their narrative about their childhood?”
This research question was answered by extrapolating the core of the
multicultural adult orphans’ childhood descriptive narratives.
The question produced eight major themes, Childhood, Education, Faith in Divine
Design, Career Efforts, Self-Concept, Coping Skills, Motivation and, Mentor/Counselor
support. Other patterns that emerged that contributed to their success were motivation,
mentors and counselors.
In a search for differences, we must not ignore the similarities that transcend
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cultural or gender influences. To capture the personal narratives, the researcher
encouraged the participants to include people and events they saw as important to their
story.
Participant # 2 said, “Being an Aboriginal person for starters automatically made
her a ward o f the state, because that is how the laws were written. Aboriginal people
were not recognized and acknowledged until 1967 as being Australian.”
Essentially, the childhood experiences that participants associated with career
success were feeling valued, caring for others, and determination to be successful in life
and career. Achieving a college education opened many career options. Faith in a divine
support helped many.
Having a clear purpose in a career and personal goals were very important.
Personal management skills and a sense of oneself as a good and valued person helped
many o f these participants to stay on a successful track. Having survival and coping
skills and a drive to be someone fueled their resiliency. Mentors and counselors helped
some participants manage their dispositions and select appropriate actions to advance
their careers.
Participant # 5 said:
My mother was mentally ill, nevertheless, she always read the Bible to my
siblings and me. She tried very hard to teach us right from wrong,
although she never practiced what she preached. Her parents would not
have anything to do with her because they told everyone she was ‘crazy’
and I had to take on a great deal of responsibility to care for her and for
my younger siblings even though I was a child myself.
Her mother taught her about God, how to treat others, and endless lessons
on conduct. Because of her attitude, I developed a sense of independence
and self-confidence at a very young age. This comes only from the
knowledge that you can survive.
Survival skills were the nucleus of the orphans in childhood due to the fact
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they had to accept grown-up responsibilities as a child. They developed a

sense of independence and self-confidence at a very young age. They
became little adult children. This comes only from the knowledge that you
can survive.
According to Tessina (2008), when life hands me a very difficult time, and I feel
defeated and overwhelmed, I enter a hopeless and helpless state of mind I think of as the
little orphan girl. This is the way I felt, as a teen, when I lost nearly my whole family,
father, aunts and uncles, between the ages of 12 and 18. Needless to say, I was
devastated; and I also survived and eventually, thrived. But little orphan girl doesn’t
remember that I made it through - she sinks into despair. When I realize this is going on,
I know I have to snap out o f it, get into adult thinking mode and comfort and reassure
that sad little part o f myself.
Everyone has a similar mental place they can get stuck in — sometimes, people
call it “depression,” although it’s not really clinical depression. It’s just a form of mental
exhaustion, perhaps due to grief, frustration, disappointment or some other problem.
Transactional analysis calls this sad and anxious child part of the psyche the little
professor, and here’s how it works, and what to do about it.
Everyone laughs when they describe a small child as “four-years old, going on
forty.” Small children can often seem wise and capable beyond their years. If a child has
parents who are absent, incompetent, immature or neglectful to the point that the child’s
well-being is neglected, the child often takes charge and tries to keep things together. He
or she uses observation, imitation, experimentation and pretending to solve problems
and keep things together when the parents are not functioning well. Often this is an
oldest child, who also takes responsibility for younger siblings, and becomes a substitute
parent for them as well as for herself. Eric Berne, M. D. the developer of Transactional
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Analysis theory, called such a child a “Little Professor.”
Tessina (2008) a licensed Psychotherapist developed guidelines for grownup thinking:
1. Pay attention to signals: Notice when you feel anxious about what you’re
doing, especially if you’re having anxiety attacks with rapid heartbeat or shortness
o f breath. This is a strong indication that you’re in “Little Professor” mode. With
practice, you can learn to identify the signals that you’re anxious.
2. Use logic: Ask yourself some logical questions about what you’re doing and
feeling: Is there a good reason to be so nervous? What am I afraid of? What’s the
worst that could happen? How can I make sure I’m OK? Simply asking these
questions, or questions about the facts, such as who, what, when, where, and why;
will help you think more like a grownup.
3. Move into adult mode: Remind yourself of all your adult experience and
competence. Remember you are not a child.
4. Consider your reasoning: Ask yourself why you’re doing what you’re doing.
Can you explain it logically? If not, perhaps it’s a reactive, rather than a rational
decision.
5. Develop a plan: Make a reasonable plan to accomplish whatever you want to
do, break it down into steps, and stick to it. This will reduce the chances of being
sidetracked by emotional reactions.
When you stay in adult mode, you’ll find that it’s much easier to distinguish your
true responsibilities from those that belong to others. You’ll feel much more
competent, and much more in charge of your own life. (pp. 1-4)
Research question two asked, “What adaptations to adversity and coping skills
enabled these adult orphans to achieve highly successful careers?”
This research question was answered by examining critical coping themes that
multicultural adult orphans associated with their highly successful careers. Two themes
emerged: (a) motivation and (b) coping. The patterns generated were: (a) self-regulated
learning, (b) tactic knowledge, (c), and (d) emotional intelligence.
Essentially, these successful adult orphans suggested that self-management, hard
work, and determination were factors in their success. They attributed career success to a
sense of purpose, motivation, determination and resiliency.
Participant # 4 said, “I stay calm and take one day at a time. Also I tend to dwell
222
on other peoples issues instead of my own.”
Participant #7 said, “I just work hard in the belief that hours devoted to task can
overcome personal deficiencies.” He offered a guiding principle for success, "Detach
yourself from negative people."
The twelve participants each shared their own unique story. After analyzing their
stories, there were many similarities and differences that appeared in how each
participant used personal talents, education, faith in God and diligence to pursue
opportunities for their career success.
Research question three asked, “What helped them obtain personal identity and
success in their career?”
This research question was answered extrapolating the core of the multicultural
adult orphans’ personal identity and success in their career. Emergent themes and
patterns that arose were (a) knowledge of heritage, (b) an adult’s belief in them, (c)
sense of identity as a good person, (d) sense of purpose, and (e) sense of divine purpose
to life.
In the words o f Rosenwald and Ochberg (1992):
claim as their own lives. Personal stories are not merely a way of telling
The participants’ interactions with adults who valued them even a parent,
grandparent or surrogate parent, such as a teacher or minister, helped them achieve a
personal identity as a good person, worthy of success. They possessed a deep desire to
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make something of themselves and not to be a victim of circumstances but rather a victor.
In 1977, Bandura hypothesized that a person’s sense of efficacy determined one’s
coping behavior and degree of effort expended in adverse experiences. Higher self-
seek successful outcomes. Bandura (1997) defined self-efficacy as “the beliefs in one’s
Students’ perception of their capacity to leam and master academic activities
contributes to their aspirations, level of motivation, and academic accomplishments
(Bandura, 1993). Self-efficacy beliefs produce these diverse effects through cognitive,
motivational, affective, and selection processes. Bandura (1993) describes general
efficacy as a belief that everyone has the ability to leam an activity. Actual recognition
that one has learned a skill or acquired deeper understanding increases one’s efficacy.
According to Isaac (2008), “the uncovering of one’s unique identity and purpose
and the creation of a personal ethos are developmentally important; many individuals
receiving psychological services are capable of introspection and metaphorical thinking;
and the interpretation of the symbols of the unconscious is healing” (p. 37).
Research question four asked, “How did these respondents’ describe their self-
concept and emotional intelligence?”
multicultural adult orphans’ self-concept and emotional intelligence. Patterns that
emerged were: (a) self-efficacy, (b) motivation, and (c) faith in God. Students indicated
through their lived experience characteristics of emotional intelligence. The two patterns
224
discussed were motivation and social skills.
Orphans were motivated differently by different goals and at different times. For
this study, the participants expressed who and what motivated them to think about the
future, participate in certain events and their choice of careers.
Participant # 6 said, "I thought God did not like Orphans. And I would tell myself
get up and get out of the gutter."
Participant # 9 said, “I could achieve anything I set my mind to, because God is
always a good God. All things are possible with God. I pray a lot."
Participant # 10 said, “Orphans are love starved and you must be able to conquer
your own demons."
Participant # 12 said, “Sometime you just have to get away and put your faith in
God for your survival, personal growth and development without the complications of
other relationships."
Essentially, these adult orphans associated personal discipline, self-regulated
learning, self-management of their emotions, and figuring out how to help others and
themselves as pathways to the coping skills they needed for success.
Research question five asked, “How did the participants employ motivation and
strategic thinking in their lives?”
multicultural adult orphans’ motivation and strategic thinking. A vital element to achieve
success in anything that one does, regardless of whether they are an orphan or not, is
motivation. Motivation is the fuel that keeps the engine running. If one is motivated,
their strategic thinking is a by-product o f their motif for accomplishing the mission
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(Cherry 2013).
Participant # 4 said, "Surround yourself with positive people. Be careful with
whom you associate. Embrace who you are. He also said, Many times I felt alone,
helpless and sad but overtime I started to take the negative feelings and turn them into
positive.”
Participant # 7 said “I was motivated because I had to overcome! I wanted to
please my seventh-grade teacher and my Ph.D. mentor. Beyond that, I knew I had to
succeed and become somebody, on my own terms, however.”
These adult orphans report they were self-motivated. Each one developed a
positive vision o f themselves. They wanted successful, independent and meaningful
lives. They had a drive to fill their empty life beginning with meaningful relationships.
They identified clearly with the people who truly cared about them.
Research question six asked, “How did mentors and role models influence their
lives?”
multicultural adult orphans’ mentor and role model relationships and how they influenced
their lives. The participants’ all had unique experiences in so far as mentors and role
models were concerned.
Two o f the participants had an advisor who helped steer them in a positive
direction. Several other participants had a pastor, librarian, military leader, teacher, or
counselor to serve as mentor to help them find a purpose in life.
Two female participants had a networking o f caring and nurturing women to
guide them. Two participants said they had no mentors or role models. They said, “I was
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my own mentor.”
Participant #12 said, “I think he saw something in me that I didn’t see at the time.
He knew my capabilities and he tried to bring them out in me.” A Participant mentioned
a faculty member mentor who also served as her academic advisor.
The mentors and role models influenced their lives by caring about them and
supporting them. In many cases, the participants stated that if it was not for the support,
guidance and care of their mentors and role models they might not be the person they are
today. In essence, having a mentor was a major positive aspect in the participants’ lives.
The transformational power of positive mentoring became a catalyst for these
participants to direct their lives in productive ways. Their mentors taught them not to be
victims in adverse situations. The mentors offered a vision of the possible future they
could have.
Mentoring from the Greek word meaning enduring is defined as a sustained
relationship between a youth and an adult. Through continued involvement, the adult
offers support, guidance, and assistance as the younger person goes through a difficult
period, faces new challenges, or works to correct earlier problems. In particular, where
parents are either unavailable or unable to provide responsible guidance for their
children, mentors can play a critical role.
The two types of mentoring are natural mentoring and planned mentoring. Natural
mentoring occurs through friendship, collegiality, teaching, coaching, and counseling. In
contrast, planned mentoring occurs through structured programs in which mentors and
participants are selected and matched through formal processes. The number of
mentoring programs has grown dramatically in recent years (Petersmeyer, 1989,
pp. 5-25).
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This popularity results, in part, from compelling testimonials by youths and adults
alike who have themselves benefited from the positive influence of an older person who
helped them endure social, academic, career, or personal crises.
Mentoring programs are established to match a suitable adult or older youth-the
mentor-with a younger person. Potential mentors are recruited from various sources
including corporate, professional, and religious communities, as well as neighborhood
citizens. Nominations for mentors are sought formally and informally through flyers,
posters, mailings, and word-of-mouth. Appropriately matching mentors with youths is at
the heart of all programs. Matching can be done formally and informally through
interviews, personal profiles, comparative interest inventories, and get-acquainted
sessions. In programs where mentors and youths are given a chance to choose each other,
planned mentoring takes on many aspects of natural mentoring (Petersmeyer, 1989, p. 5).
Scott (2005) provides a different perspective as far as counseling is concerned,
she states:
Counseling is a learning-oriented process, carried on in a simple, one-to-

one environment, in which the counselor, professionally competent in
relevant psychological skills and knowledge, seeks to assist the client by
methods appropriate to the latter’ needs.. .to learn more about himself
(herself). To learn how to put such understanding into effect in relation to
more clearly perceived, realistically defined goals to the end that the client
may become a happier and more productive member of his (her) society.
(p. 17)
Scott (2005) cites steps in the counseling process as (a) stating concerns
and establishing a need for help, (b) establishing the relationship, (c)
determining goals and exploring alternatives, (d) working on problems and
goals, (e) facilitating awareness planning a course of action, evaluating
outcomes and terminating.
Counseling is educational, supportive situational, problem-solving,

conscious awareness, emphasis on normal, focus on present, (p. 18)
Psychotherapy is supportive, reconstructive, depth-oriented, analytic,

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focus on the past, emphasis on neurotic or other severe problems
Counselors are professionally trained to address personal issues, resolve academic
anxieties; assist students in choosing career fields and majors, and problem solve other
academic difficulties. With students on restricted academic or financial aid status,
counselors work to develop individual success plans, which address the specific issues
inhibiting academic success. Counselors also (a) provide personal counseling for issues
that may interfere with studies, (b) facilitate decision making on educational and career
goals, (c) facilitate school adjustment for in-coming freshmen (homesickness, time
management, depression, anxiety), (d) facilitate college adjustment for returning adult
students (balancing roles of student, parent, spouse, and/or employee), (6) mediate
conflicts, (f) teach coping skills and stress management, and (g) provide crisis
counseling.
Scott (2005) provides a different perspective as far as advising is concerned,
she states:
Developmental academic advising is defined as a systematic process based

on a close student-advisor relationship intended to aid students in
achieving educational, career and personal goals through the utilization of
the full range of institutional and community resources.. .stimulates and
supports students in their quest for an enriched quality of life.. .focus on
identifying and accomplishing life goals, acquiring skills and attitudes that
promote intellectual and personal growth, and sharing concerns for each
other and for the academic community...reflects the institution’s mission
o f total student development and is most likely to be realized when the
academic affairs and student affairs divisions collaborate in its
implementation, (p. 19)
Advisors specialize in matters pertaining to an educational program: school
policies, placement/assessment test interpretation, degree requirements, transferability,
schedule planning, and graduation checks. Faculty performs ongoing advising. Every
effort is made to match degree-seeking students with faculty from areas of particular
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interest to the individual advisee.
Within education institutions both counselors and advisors are available.
Although counselors often advise students, advisors are not trained to counsel. It is
important for the student to make clear what kind of assistance one needs when
requesting an appointment. Advisors: (a) help you pick your classes, (b) facilitate
educational transactions, e.g., schedules, drop/adds, withdrawals, change of major,
waivers, graduation requirements, etc., (c) clarify instructional policies, procedures and
requirements, (d) provide general information on special services including academic
remediation, admission, placement testing, courses of study, and registration, (e) explain
course transfer differences between institutions, and (f) interpret placement scores and
recommend appropriate classes.
Dannenfelser (2003) studied highly successful adults who left high school before
graduating. She identified several common factors that the participants claimed
contributed to their success as: a strong work ethic, a belief in their ability to become
successful, mentors who entered their lives and informally taught them the skills they
needed to be successful in the working world; and mentors who provided them with the
encouragement they needed to continue advancing in their careers.
The term role model generally means any “person who serves as an example,
whose behavior is emulated by others” (p.507). The term first appeared in Robert K.
Merton's socialization research of medical students. Merton (2004) hypothesized that
individuals compare themselves with reference groups of people who occupy the social
role to which the individual aspires.
Research question seven asked, “How did the adult orphans describe teacher
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behaviors, their trust in teachers and education in general?”
multicultural adult orphans attitude toward their teachers. Trust in their teachers and in
education were positive influences on their success. Some participants purported that
their relationships with teachers were not as positive as they would expect a student-
teacher relationship to be.
With regard to education, there was a lack of trust in their teachers. The teachers
in most cases just taught their subjects with no regard to encouraging or discouraging the
participants. One participant said, “The teachers were just there to do their job.”
Most teachers did not invest time, energy and social capital in these adolescent
orphans. The few teachers and the librarian who invested time in these students had a
significant impact on their lives.
The power of teacher-student relationships and teacher sensitivity to multicultural
education, were further highlighted by Sleeter and Grant (2007) who described effective
teachers as those with a “strong conceptual understanding o f multicultural instructional
content” and a “thorough understanding o f pedagogical skills and practice” (p. 151).
In spite o f the lack o f positive caring relationships with their teachers, the
participants learned to value higher education. The importance of one caring adult, one
mentor, or one counselor in the lives of these participants is illustrated most starkly in
their narratives.

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the degree to which that student will be open to being taught by that teacher” (Wooden &
McCroskey, 1995, p. 94)
academic tasks as an accurate predictor of their motivation and academic achievements.
These participants believed in the power o f education and their ability to learn. Few had
a strong bond with an educator. Two benefitted from a teacher and a librarian who took a
deep interest in them.
Attachment behavior in adults towards the child includes responding sensitively
and appropriately to the child’s needs. Such behavior appears universal across cultures.
Attachment theory provides an explanation of how the parent-child relationship emerges
and influences subsequent development. Attachment is a deep and enduring emotional
bond that connects one person to another across time and space (Ainsworth, 1973;
Bowlby, 1969).
Bowlby defined attachment as a “lasting psychological connectedness between
human beings” (1969, p. 194). Bowlby (1980) hypothesized in the childhood
developmental stage regarding the inability to bond or connect as an infant continues
throughout childhood has a significant effect on one’s adolescent and adulthood life.
Research question eight asked, “How did male and female respondents compare
in their descriptions o f childhood, education, faith in God, self-concept, career efforts,
coping strategies, motivation, mentors and counselors?”
multicultural adult orphans’ differences and similarities according to gender. Two
emergent themes that arose from the comparison of the male and females were: (a)
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childhood, (b) faith in divine design, self-concept, and (c) mentors and counselors.
The male participants did not have the support of the community or a network of
adults supporting them throughout their childhood. The males were more individually
driven in their childhood and encountered unique experiences to establish their sense of
identity. The male participants struggled more as compared to the females who had a
network o f caring and supportive adults.
The female participants’ childhood encompassed a strong community of females
as well as a network of adults who helped them establish their sense of identity as
valuable members of the community. Females pursued higher education and males
sought higher terminal degrees.
Research question nine asked, “How did Caucasian and Ethnically Diverse
respondents compare in their descriptions of childhood, education, faith in divine design,
self-concept, career efforts, coping strategies, motivation, mentors and counselors?”
This research question was answered by extrapolating the core foundation of the
multicultural adult orphans’ differences and similarities according to their identity groups
such as Caucasian and Ethnically Diverse.
A common theme among the responses of the participants is that the primary
motivation was their faith in God. All participants agreed education and having a strong
academic background were contributing factors to their success.
All twelve participants purported, “Our faith is not meant to get us out of a hard
place or change our painful condition. Rather, it is meant to reveal God’s faithfulness to
us in the midst of our dire situation. God does at times change our trying circumstances.
But more often, he doesn’t - because he wants to change us.”

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I believe that these respondents indicate that we simply cannot trust God
powerfully until we experience God in the midst of our crisis. This was the case with the
three Hebrew children. They saw Christ only when they were in the midst of the fiery
furnace. And Daniel experienced God’s power and grace when he was thrust into the
lions’den. If they had suddenly been pulled out of their circumstances, they never would
have known the full grace of God’s miracle-working power. And the Lord would not
have been magnified before the ungodly.
Conversations with these adult orphans helped me to realize that when we think
we’re witnessing great miracles when God ends storms and crises, but we can easily miss
the lesson o f faith in such times - the lesson that says God will remain faithful to us
through our hard times. He wants to raise us above our trials through faith, so we can say,
“My God can do the impossible. He’s a deliverer, and he’s going to see me through”
(Luke 1:37).
The study revealed the multicultural Caucasian and Ethnically Diverse adult
orphans’ lived experiences from childhood to adulthood was the nucleus of their
individualization in which each one came to a realization and vision of oneself as “a good
person.”
The most significant difference that these orphans encountered was the harsh
racism directed at those who were persons of color. Their common determination to
make something of themselves and a strong sense of personal value as a human being
contributed to their capacity to redirect their own lives and achieve success.
Conclusions
In summary this was a phenomenological qualitative study created to develop a
descriptive model o f multicultural and ethnically diverse adult orphans who were not
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adopted and who achieved economic and career success. Despite severe life misfortunes
such as, being an orphan and not having the traditional familial support network to
nurture and guide them throughout their lives, they achieved a high-level of success.
In essence, people having little or no knowledge of heritage, their lineage or
culture have problems with their personal identity and sense of purpose. This study
explored the reasons their adversities did not deter them and how they were able to adapt
to adversity and navigate their lives to achieve their goals.
Qualitatively, this study further examined the data analysis, the narrative
interviews, field notes, memorable quotes, journals and transcripts margins recording the
emergence o f narrative patterns and indicators o f eight themes. The margin notes turned
into a set o f participant by participant coding notes that the researcher referred to as
queries.
The researcher began the work in theory. The researcher had experiences that
launched the study and abiding faith in education as a compass to guide the exploration,
but had no idea where the journey would lead. The field information and research was
vast and the researcher had a great deal to learn. This study should add a wealth of
suggested themes to the current body of literature on orphans.
Although none o f the research was trivial, the researcher’s journey with the
orphans never really began until the researcher met the participants who offered their
stories, not just to the researcher but to all those who suffer orphan trials and tribulations.
The participants of this study were very clear about the hope that their stories and
contributions might help other orphans.
Success was defined as completing high school with a diploma, certificate of a
specialty, as well as a college graduate education and terminal degree. In addition,

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securing familial security, economic and career success and obtaining a high socio
economic station in life were motivations underlying the efforts of these respondents to
be self-reliant and self-supporting adults.
This study examined factors that led to a high-level of achievement despite the
presence of obstacles, barriers, hurdles, peer pressure, poverty, and little nurturing.
The theoretical underpinnings reveal the concerns and issues multicultural and
ethnically diverse adult orphans who were not adopted have regarding sharing their
stories with the public. The participants shared their views regarding the
institutionalization and governmental policies they encountered.
The research study was designed to increase the understanding of the orphan
issues and problems they experienced on a daily basis, which in most cases the public and
the community, were unaware of.
Searching for suitable participants to interview on the topic of how the experience
o f being an orphan, literally, or emotionally, influenced the process of their
individualization, which the developmental process of becoming who one chose to be
began with a search o f biographies by orphans.
Isaac (2008) states that images and tales of the orphan strike deep emotional
chords, as does any truly archetypal experience. The orphan’s power to awaken us to the
voice of the ancestral soul implies that we are being called consciously or otherwise, to
undertake a journey, which is ultimately bound for home (Issac).
Inherent in the figure of the orphan lies the process of individualization, a
summons from the deeper self to creatively address the disparate truths of life’s intention,
truths which one must find rooted deeply and securely in the past, in order to fully engage
the present, and to meet oneself again and again, in the future (Issac).
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The orphan’s process lies metaphorically within anyone who seeks the fulfillment
o f a life that is as rich in solitude as it is in relationship. The present of the orphan in our
lives beckons us to question not only how we shall respond to our aloneness, but how we
might practice obedience to all of creation (Issac, p. 1).
Based upon the finding of this study, the following conclusions were drawn.
Results from this study revealed eight major emergent themes and four major findings
across the dimensions of childhood, education, faith in divine design, career efforts, self-
concept, coping, motivation, and mentors/counselors.
The participants identified four major factors that influenced their development of
a personal identity; a loving adult who encouraged them, a minister who helped them
gain a sense o f divine intervention, a personal vision of their own talent, and professional
counseling.
The major findings o f this study offer an inside look into the world of
multicultural adult orphans who were not adopted. Several of the obstacles these
multicultural adult orphans faced were language barriers, racial, ethnicity and cultural
barriers, limited education in terms of continuous revolving cycles of interrupted
education; which brought about gaps in their learning processes. On the other hand, they
also identified facilitators that were helpful during their transition from obscurity to
prominence.
These facilitators helped in finding a job, connecting them to someone in the
United States of America before they arrived in the country, connecting them to a social
and supportive network, and offering their support, and support from other generous
people. However these findings do not reflect the whole story.
The study participants acknowledged that being orphaned and living in various
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institutions, orphanages, and foster homes shaped their responses to other people,
especially to children. They said their orphan experiences shaped their perception of
others, and the way they interacted with and treated other people. Every participant
reported that as a result of being orphaned, they were now an advocate for orphaned
children.
In regards to comparing orphanages and foster homes, the data and findings
revealed significant differences as far as the two systems were concerned. The findings
purported that both systems were in need of major changes because to the poor quality of
care they currently offered.
All twelve participants expressed that their experience of being an orphan during
childhood, was tumultuous and in most cases they were seen as less than human and their
lives were meaningless. The authority figures in the institutions and foster care system
and schools as well as outside of school saw them as meaningless and unworthy o f their
attention and care.
Once they found a mentor or role model, they found a reason to improve their
lives, skills and a purpose for living. After they entered the world of work, they found
the skills that they had to leam to be necessary, the knowledge they acquired to be
valuable, and the mentors who came into their lives as caring. One participant said, “We
must start listening to children and let them guide us as the scripture says. “And the child
shall lead the way.”
David Yayravi (2012), Principal at Crossover International Academy, located in
Ghana, West Africa, is a tenacious visionary, determined educator, and faithful person
who believes that, with faith in God, all things are possible. His objectives are to make
life worth living for the poor, marginalized orphans and the rejected children of our
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society by showing them love, and by educating them and directing them to divine
intervention.
“Educate the child; you set him free from abject poverty; Direct the child to God;
you set him/her free from mental enslavement and from hell” (Yayravi, p. 1).
Other sources which were extrapolated from the participants’ profiles and
narrative o f concern included the following: personal identity, perceptions, self-concept,
adaptation to adversity, trust, sense of purpose, culture awareness, culture mosaic, teacher
influence, and mentorship.
The results of this study support previous research, particularly that of Graham
and Gray, (1995) who stated that other sentiments bespeak the fear, desperation, anger,
and loneliness of the orphan plight:
There are people all around me, but they are strangers; you had no idea
what the future held for you, that was a great concern and worry. I did not
cry. I guess I was too angry to cry - we were going too far, too fast. You
live in hopes that good will come, but you doubted it at the same time.
You don’t know who you are; you don’t know where you came from.
Nobody understands the loneliness of an orphan, (p. 108)
Even Charles Loring Brace, the renowned Anthropologist, and one of the greatest
contributing philanthropists in the field of social reform admitted the precarious spiritual
position of his efforts at social reform, writing. “The human soul is difficult tointerfere
with; you hesitate how far you should go” (as cited in Graham & Gray, 1995.p. 108).
Gender
In terms of gender, and racial and ethnic comparisons in this study, males
reported a higher sense o f self-efficacy than did females. Most research on group
differences in self-efficacy focus on gender (Skunk & Meece, 2005). Some studies found
that gender differences in self-efficacy favor boys (Meece & Jones, 1996; Pinctrich &
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DeGroot, 1990), while others favor girls (Britner & Pajares, 2001). Several revealed no
gender differences in self-efficacy (Pajares, 1996; Roeser et al., 1996; Tyler & Boelter,
2008). In this study, males and females expressed their belief in their own capacity to
succeed.
Personal Identity
Personal identity was the core of the participants’ lived experience. According to
Parfit (1971):
Personal identity is the unique numerical identity o f persons through time.

Moreover, the necessary and sufficient conditions under which a person at
one time and a person at another time can be said to be the same person,
persisting through time. In the modem philosophy of mind, this concept
of personal identity is sometimes referred to as the diachronic problem of
personal identity. The synchronic problem is grounded in the question of
what features or traits characterize a given person at one time? (p. 7)
The results of this study seem to confirm the theory o f personal identity according
to Parfit (1971). Most o f the participants did know pieces of their personal heritage.
They discovered their identity in the pursuit of making something o f themselves, or
through a religious experience or ministered intervention and others expanded their
personal identity searching for their maternal or paternal heritage.
Perceptions of Basic Needs
picture albums that, “contain very specific pictures of what will satisfy a person’s needs”
(Glasser, 1984, p. 22). These basic needs are to survive and reproduce, to belong (love,
share, and cooperate), to possess power, to experience freedom, and to experience fun
(Glasser, 1984). The participants in this study affirmed that they pursued the basic needs
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identified by Glasser.
The participants were also able to heal the inner child within to complete their
wholeness by infusing Whitfied’s (1987) theory o f recovery.
In 1987, Charlie Whitfield's breakthrough concept of the child within—that part
o f us which is truly alive, energetic, creative and fulfilled— launched the inner child
movement. Healing the Child Within describes how the inner child is lost to trauma and
loss, and how by recovering it, we can heal the fear, confusion and unhappiness of adult
life.
Trust
Another factor of importance was trust; one female and one male participant who
were raised in orphanages did not trust other people. There was also the negative
interaction with most of the orphans as far as trusting the orphans’ teacher-student
relationships. Social scientists have traditionally blamed school failure on external
influences where students are passive participants in the school environment (Domagala-
Zysk, 2006). Domagala-Zysk (2006) claimed, “the emphasis is on the fact of how
children perceive their educational situation, especially the quality of social support
which is available from the people around them” (p. 234). Teachers, who engage students
and develop a relationship with them, support their learning (Sadowski, 2008).
Adolescents are profoundly impacted by their relationships at school, i.e., coaches,
teachers, administrators, and others, when it is evident that the “student matters to the
adult as much as the adult matters to the student” (Sadowski, 2008). Nakkula and
Toshalis (2006) found that students would work hard for the teachers they liked and by
whom they felt respected.

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mind, then the level of trust is likely to increase (Wooten & McCroskey, 1995). Gregory
and Ripski (2008) found that trust comprised students’ perceptions of their teachers’ use
of their power in the classroom and the students’ beliefs that they should follow and
respect their teachers’ requests.
Self-Concept
A major theme that stood out in all 12 participants was self-concept. All the
participants demonstrated a very strong concept of themselves, which is crucial to human
development especially for orphans.
regarding themselves (Marsh & Shavelson, 1985, Shavelson, Hubner & Stanton (1976)
called for a more unified definition of self-concept; there was little agreement on its
structure or components and the definition varied widely by study. Shavelson et al.
(1976) did a meta-analysis which included studies based on the five most commonly used
self-concept measures at that time in order to develop a cohesive definition of self-
concept. They used common elements of the pre-existing definitions to form one model
of self-concept that could then be validated. Based on this work, self-concept was
narrowed to the individual’s evaluation of their worth rather than including outside
observers’ evaluations.
Shavelson et al. (1976) proposed seven key features that defined self-concept.
Self-concept was defined as both descriptive and evaluative in nature. In addition to self-
concept being a description of the self, it also inherently includes an evaluation (i.e.,
positive or negative value) of those descriptions. They believed that self-concept was
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multidimensional rather than unidimensional in nature. That is, in addition to a global
self-concept (e.g., “I like m yself’), they proposed that there were specific domains of
self-concept (e.g., “I am good at math”) that could be measured. The basic organization
was proposed to be hierarchy with global self-concept at the apex that could be broken
down into an academic and non-academic self-concept. Shavelson et al. (1976) further
conjectured that academic and non-academic self-concept could be further broken down
into more specific domains (e.g., school subjects and peer relations). In analyzing the
studies, Shavelson et al. (1976) noted that higher agreement was achieved between self-
reported self-concept and inferred self-concept (i.e., a parent or teacher reporting on the
self-concept o f a child), when reporting on a global self-concept than when reporting on
domain specific concept. That is, a student report and a teacher report about the same
student are more likely to be similar at the level of global self-concept than at academic
self-concept (pp. 407- 408).

Self-concept, as a component of human personality development has its own
nature and peculiarity. Several authors (Shavelson et al., 1976; as cited in Ganna and
Elexpuru, 1999) have tried to specify the nature of the term self-concept. To this end,
they look at it as a compendium of characteristics or fundamental aspects.

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Pajares (1996) stated adolescents’ perceptions of their ability to master academic
tasks may predict more accurately their motivation and academic achievements. The
participants in this study confirm that a positive self-concept in general and related to
specific tasks contributed to their career success.
Self-Esteem
Self-esteem is related to self-concept in the sense that one needs to understand
their concept before they can judge whether they have low or high self-esteem.
Self-esteem is a disposition that a person has which represents their judgments of
their own worthiness. In the mid-1960s, Morris Rosenberg and social-learning theorists
defined self-esteem as a personal worth or worthiness. In 1969, Nathaniel Branden
defined self-esteem as: “the experience o f being competent to cope with the basic
challenges of life and being worthy of happiness.” According to Branden, self-esteem is
the sum of self-confidence (a feeling of personal capacity) and self-respect (a feeling o f
personal worth). It exists as a consequence of the implicit judgment that every person has
of their ability to face life's challenges, to understand and solve problems, and their right
to achieve happiness, and be given respect.
Adaptation to Adversity
Adaptation to adversity is the ability to thrive or bounce back from adverse
experiences (Rutter, 1987). The subjects’ lives were affected by orphanhood and poverty
and they faced general problems of poverty and identity as described by (Payne, 1996).
Another important quality Macy (2000) discussed was a desire for personal growth.
Orphans found value in education that boosted their self-esteem; success bred more
success. A student claimed, “a lot of people look at their college degree as a piece of
paper, but to me it is a symbol of triumph over adversity, over many of the biggest
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challenges of my life” (p. 41). “The main difference between people who succeed and
people who fail is how they handle adversity. Success will depend primarily on
determination to persist” (Landis, 1988, p. 13).
These orphans affirm the benefits of determination, perseverance, resilience
tenacity and grit in their career success.
Pajares (1996) posits professional efficacy supports sustained high performance
and prevents burnout. Professional efficacy regards both the energy o f effort and
efficiency o f work required for achieving targeted outcomes. In environments where
outcomes of outstanding quality are the only acceptable results, fully engaged
performance is essential. Professional efficacy o f individuals and teams is enhanced
through the development of: (a) talents and skills of the individual, (b) health and work-
capability fitness, (c) organizational support, (d) strategical preparation, (e)
communication intelligence, and (f) transpersonal leadership in team dynamics (p. 14).
The participants revealed that to reach the status in life they achieved; they had to
have a strong sense o f professional efficacy.
Sense of Purpose
The participants’ acquired a “sense of purpose” as the driving force to steer their
course to achieve success. The participants purported that having a reason to live and
contribute to the world was the most important foundation one could have to survive and
thrive.
According to Chickering (1993), a sense of purpose included clarifying life goals,
strong outlook on professional life, meaningful commitments within his/her own
interests, and established positive relationships with others. All of the participants in this
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study achieved a sense of purpose in their lives that motivated them to pursue their
education and talents.
Mentorship
A profound statement was made by one of the participants she said:
“It is very important for an orphan to have at least one caring and
nurturing adult in their lives who believes in them. It does not necessarily
have to be a parent or guardian it could be an advisor, mentor, counselor
or spiritual leader.”
Stone (2004) indicated the benefits of mentorship are reciprocal; both mentor and
mentee enjoy the advantages o f such a relationship. The combination of discussion and
experience in mentorship provides a platform to assist students in self-assessment and
reflection. Based on these participants, it seems that structured mentorship programs
would enable students to become more efficacious and confident. The development of
such programs would enhance the services offered by the institutions, organizations and
agencies.
Finally, the findings of this study call for considerable applied research. With the
exception o f clinical and religious setting, where there are trained practitioners, there are
limited venues for the discussion of orphans.
The research will help politicians, educators, administrators; teachers, counselors,
social workers and psychologists as well as governmental, non-governmental and
provincial agencies personnel recognize and address the issues and concerns of the
multicultural and ethnically diverse orphan students who appear to be at risk due to their
lack o f nurturing and family involvement.
Williams (2008) said, “So often, people want to change something that's a layer
rather than getting to something that's the foundation. The mindset is the foundation. It
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needs to be promptly there. It's something that shows up when you enter the situation”
(P- 25).
He said that the attitude needs to be “clean, pristine and focused” on what you
want to accomplish. “Then you need to have a particular method to your demeanor.
Always have an encouraging word as well as a plan of action” (p. 26).
There's a science to how you conduct yourself. Very often, misery loves
company, so they (your friends and family) will pull you in that direction if they are able
to,” he said. “With that said, when successful orphans share their stories it provides
nourishment and fuel for the orphans of today and tomorrow” (p. 27).
Craft and Friedland (1998) recount their formative years of growing up in an
orphanage, in their book entitled: An Orphan Has Many Parents. Both authors recount
how important one supportive adult who encourages a child is to the child’s developing a
sense of competence. Their narratives are inspiring stories that examine life in the Pride
of Judea Orphanage and the school events that made a difference in their lives. Mostly a
supportive and good supervisor at the orphanage and a caring and patient teacher who
demanded mastery of the topic were the ingredients (pp. 53-55).
Researchers should feel compelled to re-examine their views of orphans,
orphanages, and foster care in general. This narrative study is an inspiring human-
interest story, and it suggests new ground in the study of orphans and orphanages and the
foster care system.
Culture and Culture Awareness
Culture refers to a “learned body of tradition that governs what one needs to
1970).
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(Banks, 2006).
The study findings revealed that the participants were in many cases not sure of
their own culture, and to be aware of other cultures one must first be aware of one’s own
(Miller, 2006).
Due to the racial and ethnic groups of the participants, some had culture, language
and assimilation issues being in unfamiliar settings in different cities, states, and
countries. They expressed culture shock when confronted with different cultures and had
unimaginable insights as to how they should interact and relate with people of other
cultures.
Cultural Mosaic
“Cultural mosaic” (French: “la mosai'que culturelle”) is the mix of ethnic groups,
languages and cultures that co-exist within society. The idea of a cultural mosaic is
intended to champion an ideal of multiculturalism, differently from other systems like the
melting pot, which is often used to describe the neighboring United States’ supposed
ideal of assimilation.
Isaac (2008) stated so eloquently that:
Despite their adverse beginnings, however, the orphans have demonstrated

the determination and resilience needed to overcome early childhood
trauma. The continuous underlying presence of the Self has served as a
vocational beacon and as a healing spiritual connection with a higher
power in the orphans’ darkest hour. In ways unique to their identity, the
orphans of this study have integrated their experiences of abandonment
and loss and have moved deeply into their individuation journey, making
valuable contributions to society because of and through their suffering.
(p. 476)
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Teacher Influence
occur in the classroom (Good & Brophy, 2003; Weinstein, 2002). The influence of the
classroom teacher on the student is often underestimated. Although middle school
teachers spend very little time with their students each day, it is easy to misjudge the
power that one’s teaching practices can have on the students (Anderman & Midgley,
1998).
During this time of adolescence, middle school students are particularly sensitive
to their surroundings and to the covert messages that they frequently receive from their
teacher (Weinstein, 2002). These messages are reflections of the expectations teachers
have developed about each student (Good & Brophy, 2003; Good & Weinstein, 1986).
Patterson (2010) stated that building a successful classroom community takes
effort, focus, planning, and a consistent and systematic approach. It does not occur
automatically in most classrooms, and even at their best attempts, teachers find many
reasons to obstruct the outcome they envision.
For example, student misbehavior is one of the most troubling trends in education
today and the decline of many teachers in numerous classes; it interferes with teaching,
stifles learning, produces stress and leads to poor class morale.
Karen Patterson (2010) showed that setting-up for success sends a powerful
message to educators, parents and the community that students are expected to succeed.
The orphans in this study generally reported that they encountered someone who
expected them to succeed, and they clung to that person’s vision of them and rejected
other deficit expectations they encountered with some teachers and counselors.
The hypothesis was important to guide, support and address the study and the
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complex relationship encountered with multicultural and ethnically diverse people who
are orphaned and the educational system. The researcher focused on the diversities and
the obstacles they dealt with, and the avenues they traveled to achieve economic and
career success despite their circumstances.
The study was uniquely valuable in answering key questions concerning the link
between a wide range o f exposures and to promote culture awareness and to assist
politicians, educators as well as governmental leaders in fulfilling their roles in the
Global 21st century.
By embracing the multicultural and ethnically diverse needs of the students and
helping them to achieve success in spite of life adversities teachers can celebrate diversity
and model dispositions that lead to more peaceful and supportive interactions among their
students. Factors such as peer pressure, poverty, lack of nurturing and motivation can be
diminished through dialogue and caring. The key to success is education, according to
these adult orphans.
Due to the up-rooting of orphans and continuous transformational and transitional
living conditions, there are major attachment issues that need to be examined. There are
irrevocable consequences which mire and damage the orphans with invisible indelible
scars. Education gaps appear to be a very powerful negative in the participants’ lives
because o f the continuous changing o f homes and the interruption of their education.
A sense o f belonging and a constant need to find how to fill the connection gap,
or not being able to establish long term relationships due to their insecurity, sense of
rejection and not having a stable home or relatives were ameliorated by educational
experiences.
Orphans need to know that there is at least one person they can depend on and
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they need to know that they are loved unconditionally. In addition, they need to have a
place to call home no matter what the circumstances, that they are never alone because
every human being needs to be cherished and loved to build self-esteem, self-worth, and
self-confidence.
They need to know that they are worthy. Some orphans find this in their place of
worship such as church, temple, mosque, synagogue; some in the schools, and some in
strangers. Nevertheless, it is not where they find it but most important, that they find it.
Educational policy makers’ mission should be to provide the highest quality
education for people of all ages through assessment, evaluation, hard work, research and
development and to instill a sense of worth and purpose in their lives regardless of
gender, race, socio-economic status or national origin.
The researcher purports the end-product is the success and wellbeing of all human
beings and the goal should be to educate the whole person. Learning to helping others as
breathing is sustain life. Learning should be the premier focus for orphan students in all
disciplines o f education.
The multicultural and ethnically diverse populations demand that educators
feature the latest technology and all other advanced methodology in order for the
students to be prepared to compete and succeed in the “Global World” with 21st Century
Skills.
Educators must continually develop their professional and personal skills as well
as be role-models and lead by example. One o f the most important things an educational
leader should do is find out “What Matters” to people and stakeholders in their charge
such as, students, parents/guardians, faculty, staff and the community. Communication is
the golden thread that loops all the necessary components together.
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One participant stated:
Nothing is impossible if one has a vision, goal, and/or dream. With

tenacity, determination, perseverance, persistence and resiliency and
working to one’s fullest potential they can become successful, productive,
and responsible contributing citizens and members of society. Even in
times of adversity or humble beginning, one can overcome all obstacles.
The orphans in this study confirm that opportunities can be found for those with
determination and the proper tools and skills. The critical factors which emerged from
the fourteen independent variables these orphans identified as highly related to career
success were: a sense of resiliency.
Resilience played a major role in the success of the male and female multicultural
and ethnically diverse adult orphans. They probably would not have survived their
childhood ordeals had they not used a variety of coping strategies often identified in
resilient children. Their resiliency came as a result of: (a) the nurturance and guidance of
caring adults, (b) adapting to their home environment, (c) maintaining the belief that they
could control their environment, (d) academic intelligence, (e) emotional intelligence, (f)
assertiveness, (g) audaciousness, (h) having dreams and plans for the future, (1)
obedience and compliance, (j) belief in a spiritual being, (k) maturity, (i) reliability, (m)
sense of humor, (n) having positive role models, and (o) having stubborn determination
to act in their own best interest (Guess, 2008 p. 311).
The participants felt a sense of resiliency gives one the fortitude to overcome
adversity and to continuously adapt to the unforeseen circumstances such as obstacles
and barriers they encounter on a daily basis. When they are knocked down, they get up
bounce back and deal with the issue head on.
Additionally, mentors and role models, motivation, self-concept and tactic

252
knowledge were variables that were vital in navigating their lives.
Four other factors emerged which were not cited in the fourteen variables that
according to the participants were the cornerstone and nucleus to their overcoming their
circumstances which are: tenacity, persistence, perseverance, and survival skills.
Tenacity
Rodriguez stated tenacity is the ability to stick with something even when the
going gets tough. Never give up. Never surrender! Tenacity also means the quality, or
state of being. Tenacity is also the ability of matter to overcome great strength or force.
tenacity to overcome the great mass of force of the people crossing the bridge (p. 282).
Persistence
Persistence is the quality o f continually and steadily being obstinate in a course of
something such as an effort after its causes has ceased or been removed (Merricks (1999).
Perseverance
Perseverance means: “Determination to follow through in action. Working hard
and not giving up!” Steadfastness in doing something despite difficulty or delay in
o f glory (Stanley, 1990).
Survival Skills
Glasser (2006) postulated that survival skills are skills one must possess to rise
above challenges that nature and mankind throw at you, beating the odds, and managing
to live in situations in which others do not or cannot. “Survival suggests inner strength,
skill and resourcefulness, and maybe luck of divine intervention.” Perseverance can play
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a big part in survival as well because sometimes, what it takes most to survive, is not
giving up (pp. 240-243).
The participants felt having a mentor or role model in their live contributed to
them staying on track and not veering off task when things seemed too difficult and
impossible. They found that they had someone to confide in who believed in them,
which gave them the fortitude to forge ahead into unknown territory.
The participants felt motivation which they all had gave them drive and a desire to
succeed at any cost, to rise above their circumstances and become successful.
The participants felt self-concept and a strong work ethic as well as a sense of
self-efficacy gave them a sense of purpose and led them in the right direction and kept
them focused on education. They were determined to prove the naysayers wrong in spite
of their negative and condescending opinions towards them.
The participants felt by utilizing tactic knowledge they were able to intertwine the
other variables to navigate their lives through adversity to fulfill their potential to achieve
economic and career success.
As Abraham Maslow noted, the basic needs of humans must be met (e.g. food,
shelter, warmth, security, sense of belongingness etc.) before a person can achieve self-
actualization - the need to be good, to be fully alive and to find meaning in life. Research
shows that when people live lives that are different from their true nature and capabilities,
they are less likely to be happy than those whose goals and lives match. For example,
someone who has inherent potential to be a great artist or teacher may never realize
his/her talents if their energy is focused on attaining the basic needs of humans.
Humanistic psychologists, Maslow (1970), believed that every person has a strong
desire to realize his or her full potential, to reach a level of “self-actualization.” The main
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point of that new movement, that reached its peak in 1960s, was to emphasize the
positive potential of human beings. According to Schacter, Gilbert and Weger (2011),
Maslow positioned his work as a vital complement to that of Freud:
It is as if Freud supplied us the sick half of psychology and we must now

fill it out with the healthy half.
However, Maslow was highly critical of Freud, since humanistic

psychologists did not recognize spirituality as navigation for our
behaviors.
To prove that humans are not simply blindly reacting to situations, but
trying to accomplish something greater, Maslow studied mentally healthy
individuals instead of people with serious psychological issues. He
focused on self-actualizing people. Self-actualizing people indicate a
coherent personality syndrome and represent optimal psychological health
and functioning.
This informed his theory that a person enjoys “peak experiences,” high
points in life when the individual is in harmony with himself and his
surroundings. In Maslow's view, self-actualized people can have many
peak experiences throughout a day while others have those experiences
less frequently, (pp. 486-487)
Essentially, the 12 multicultural adult orphan participants who were not adopted
were able to realize Abraham Maslow’s “Hierarchy of Needs” as illustrated in Figure 5.1
Abraham Harold Maslow was an American psychologist who was best known for
creating Maslow's hierarchy of needs, a theory of psychological health predicated on
fulfilling innate human needs in priority, culminating in self-actualization. Maslow was
a psychology professor at Brandeis University, Brooklyn College, New School for Social
Research and Columbia University. He stressed the importance of focusing on the positive
qualities in people, as opposed to treating them as a “bag of symptoms” (pp. 9-26).

255
Figure 5.1 Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy o f Needs
Self-actualization
Esteem
Love/belonging
Safety
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History is the filter through which generations of the future see past generations
(Winski, 1998). It is also the filter through which people see themselves. People’s
personal histories are made significant by the lens through which they, as well as others,
view their past and evaluate their experiences. When people look back at their history,
they are more introspective and circumspective and they see things differently, hopefully
clearer and more objectively.
Yet however people look at their history, their history, is theirs and their
perception of it depends on who they are and the lens through which they look back.
Beth Boland a historian for the National Park Service History says, [History] connects us
to our past and shows us what we have made o f ourselves” (as cited in Winski, 1998,
p. 4).
Recommendations
The following recommendations are based upon the findings and conclusions of
this study. The recommendations encompass what Cullen and Pretes (2000) term the
trinity o f social identity- family, community and society that orphans must face.
It is recommended that the health care system provide nurturing services to
institutions, orphanages and foster homes for infants who are deprived of the nourishment
of a mother’s milk, the tender warmth of cuddling, or a touch of a loving human being.
In hospitals, faced with the absence of a mother or father, nurses and volunteers
should provide the surrogacy of intimacy that is crucial and vital in the infancy stage.
Social service personnel should ensure that children in orphanages and foster homes
receive the surrogate intimacy that all children need the warmth, love and affection of
maternal and paternal bonding.
Janov (2009) discussed the notion of “the critical window” that is simply a time in
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life when needs must be fulfilled, and at no other time. “We can hug a child all day at
age ten but it will not erase the lack of touch for the first four months of life which
seriously deregulated a child’s whole nervous system and left a legacy of internally
imprinted coldness” (Janov).
It is recommended that school boards, superintendents and their cabinets, school
administrators, building leaders and educators be cognizant of the impact classroom
environment has on adolescent students most especially orphans. Changes in skills and
child attentiveness are required for educators if they are to be active and effective
participants in educating “The whole child.” As such, additional recommendations
include:
1. Teachers should become aware of the affective classroom environment and
ensure that all students’ emotional needs are being met
2. Teachers should be aware of the impact the affective classroom has on
adolescents and create an environment in which both males and females can
build trust and excel. Cooperative learning practices that are authentic can
enhance respect and truth among students where teachers employ this learning
technique.
3. Teachers should try to connect with students individually to ensure that
adolescents feel that they have an opportunity to bond with the teacher to help
increase trust which will ultimately increase their effort and achievement in
the classroom.
4. Teachers should build trust in the classroom by creating an environment
where students could feel that they could take risks and feel valued in their
environment.
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For example, Participant #7 said, “my seventh grade teacher sat in front of me,
holding up my chin to make sure I didn’t look away. “She called me by my
name and said do you want to know a secret? My secret is that I know you
can do better than you are doing. But that’s not important. What’s important
is for you to come to know what I know about you. You are letting others
control what you do. You keep fighting with things that have gone wrong.
You have more promise than you understand. All you’ve got to do is take
charge o f what you do with the rest of your life. Let go of your past. Take
hold of your future. I can help. I want to help, but that’s all I can do, help,
you can do better. Whatever you do, don’t do it for me, do it for yourself.”
5. Global educational leaders should share the responsibility to develop
educators who can create an affective environment which will build trust;
thus, raise student self-efficacy, academic self-efficacy, self-esteem and
achievement in the school and the community to prepare orphans for the 21st
Century.
6. Administrators should provide common planning time and opportunities for
teachers with the same students to collaborate with each other in order to
know their students and investigate and share information about students to
best meet their needs in the classroom and extra curricula activities. Each and
every orphan student has a need to feel important and valued. However, if the
educators are not aware of their students’ needs, then how can they fulfill
them?
7. Sensitivity training is of utmost importance for educators especially for
multicultural, cross cultural and intercultural relations.

259
8. Educators should receive training in multicultural education. Dr. Dorinda
Carter (2008) provides an online course on multicultural education at
Michigan State University. The course is entitled, Teaching Across Cultural
Differences in Schools.
9. It is essential that teachers and administrators explore the research about
affective classroom environments and hire multicultural and Ethnically
Diverse teachers who can be sensitive to students’ needs and hold high
expectations for student achievement.
10. Educators should identify orphan students who are at-risk and utilize
counseling and supportive methodologies to encourage their academic success
and their emotional and social-economic needs as well.
11. Educators should stay abreast of new developments in education regarding
mainstreaming and inclusion for special education students which includes
orphans.
12. Teachers should be trained to be more sensitive to the students in their charge.
Teachers are responsible for teaching a certain discipline however, they must
not be oblivious to the affect they have on a student’s life.
13. School building leaders should provide clear guidance regarding the
expectations for teachers and other staff to support the social and emotional
development o f all students.
14. Pre-service training for educators should include an emphasis on related skills
including knowledge of reading assessment, reading interventions, progress
monitoring assessments, evidence-based interventions and school-wide
change initiatives.
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15. Internship opportunities for pre-service educators should include opportunities
to participate in teams and to be involved in progress monitoring, universal
screening measures and development and implementation of tiered
interventions.
16. Educators should be afforded regular opportunities to collaborate with other
educators in order to share knowledge and experiences. This is one way to
build their capacity to participate in initiatives as well as other new initiatives
that may arise.
Recommendations for Future Research
The results of this study reflect the stories and voices of twelve successful
multicultural adult orphans who were not adopted. They hail from the United States of
America and Australia and despite being orphaned at young ages; they achieved
economic and career success.
Drawing on different perspectives of the orphan experience would enhance future
research. For example, studies targeting the experience of children or the experience of
the parents who abandon or find it otherwise necessary to relinquish their care giving role
would provide a more complete picture of the orphan (Isaac, 2008 p. 498).
Caution must be exercised if one wishes to generalize these findings to the wider
population in the nation as well as internationally. Subsequent research should be
conducted to determine whether the variables and factors in this study are related to other
orphans nationally and internationally. Finding reported in this study are applicable to
educators from other countries and to the wider population of policy makers and elected
officials in the Global World. The potential for future research is vast.
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Replicate the study in a mixed methodological design utilizing qualitative and
quantitative data and statistics obtained from the governmental, (NGO) non
governmental organizations, and educational agencies and do a statistical analysis
accessing the stakeholders and their institutions, organizations, and agencies to see if they
are addressing and meeting the needs of orphans from infancy, childhood, adolescence to
adulthood. Moreover, conduct research surveys on the adult orphans who were not
adopted after they left the system as adults to begin their life alone; show evidence of the
results.
Replicate the study in a region where there is a diverse orphan population to find
out what their issues and concerns are. Examine the statistics of the last decade to
determine if there has been an improvement or a decline in the caring of indigenous
orphans. The findings could help determine how and what should be done to educate and
elevate the public and policy makers awareness of what needs to be rectified to revamp
and implement new policies and procedures to improve the system.
Future researchers should help educators understand and appreciate cultural
differences of ethnically and racially diverse cultures and avoid assigning deficiencies to
orphan students.
Facilitate methods educators should utilize to evaluate their ability to identify
methods of instruction that facilitate learning and their willingness to implement
multicultural education.
Investigate how all stakeholders could help the multicultural child orphans of
today who were not adopted before they become adult orphans.
Further studies related to orphans’ knowledge of family history and heritage
should be designed with mixed methodology exploration.

262
Create a survey instrument based on the analysis, collect the data then analyze and
consider revising the survey instrument to more accurately assess the skills and
importance of skills necessary for orphans to develop a sense of purpose, self-identity,
commitment to education and determination to be a productive, responsible and
contributing member o f society.
Study advocates who have lived the orphan experience and assisted in the
reorganization of the social service system designed to address the needs o f orphans. It is
important that the public know what assistance orphans need to flourish and thrive and
how educators can fulfill that need.
Examine the effectiveness of safeguards to monitor the orphan/foster care system
and the people who are in charge of the implementation of the policies and procedures.
Investigate how multicultural competent career counselors, vocational and clinical
psychologists continuously educate themselves with empirical research and literature
regarding career development of racially/ethnically [culturally] diverse students and
clients and apply their knowledge and skills to clinical practice (Flores, Lin, & Huang,
2005).
Examine how governments treat orphans in diverse countries, provide education,
career counseling, social and emotional support to assist in the orphans’ economic
success.
Conduct a study o f orphans who age out of the system and who retain a sponsor,
advocate, or mentor to guide them in the first five years after leaving the system.
Conduct a study of orphans who were not adopted and who were incarcerated and
investigate what happened in their childhood that led to this alternate pathway.
Community leaders should work jointly with all stakeholders to provide for the
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needs of all children as far as the development of a whole healthy child is concerned
“A Whole Child Deserves a Whole Teacher.” refers to each child, in school, in each of
our communities deserves to be healthy, safe, engaged, supported, and challenged.
That’s what a whole child approach to learning, teaching, and community engagement
really is.
School administrators and school officials must be made aware of all available
educational programs for orphans and at-risk students and encourage these students to
attend these programs. If there are no programs for students, one must be implemented.
Senge (1995) promoted traditional perspective that leaders were people who
establish direction, held decision-making capacity and were responsible for followers.
Additionally, Senge viewed the new perspective of leadership as one that should be that
o f designer, steward and teacher.
Future researchers should investigate the experience of orphans in foster homes
and orphanages and do a comparative analysis of the two to determine how orphans relate
their experiences in the two systems.
There is an increasing body of evidence that orphanages, especially large
orphanages, are the worst possible care option for children. In large institutions all
children, but particularly babies may not receive enough eye contact, physical contact,
and stimulation to promote proper physical, social or cognitive development. In the worst
cases, orphanages can be dangerous and unregulated places where children are subject to
abuse and neglect.
There is only one significant study, which disputes this. It was carried out by
Duke University. Their researchers have shown that institutional care in America in the
20th Century produced the same health, emotional, intellectual, mental, and physical
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outcomes as care by relatives, and better than care in the homes of strangers. One
explanation for this is the prevalence of permanent temporary foster care. This is the
name for a long string o f short stays with different foster care families. Permanent
temporary foster care is highly disruptive to the child and prevents the child from
developing a sense of security or belonging. Placement in the home of a relative
maintains and usually improves the child's connection to family members. Orphanages
are an incredibly expensive option, up to six times more expensive than supporting a
birth family and three times more expensive than foster care.
According to McKenzie (2006), whereas orphanages are intended to be
reasonably permanent placements, group homes may be used for short-term placements.
They may be residential treatment centers, and they frequently specialize in a particular
population with psychiatric or behavioral problems, e.g., a group home for children and
teens with autism, eating disorders, or substance abuse problems or child soldiers
undergoing decommissioning.
Silverman (2007) notes there is a move to deinstitutionalize child care systems.
This involves closing down orphanages and other institutions for children and developing
replacement services. The first option for a child is to see if one can be reunited with their
biological or extended family. Often circumstances will have changed since the
separation. If that is not possible, domestic adoption or long term fostering are
considered. Older children may be supported to independence. Disabled children may
need small family type homes where their needs can be catered for.
It is important to understand the reasons for child abandonment, and then set up
targeted alternative services to support vulnerable families at risk of separation such as
mother and baby units and day care centers.

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Mckenzie (2003) purported “Within the 20th Century, the literature on orphans
has focused mainly on negative theories of orphans, however: recent research cites
examples o f orphans who in most cases would not have survived if not for the
intervention of a miraculous set of circumstances” (p. 240).
Researcher’s Voice
To echo Isaac (2008), the researcher began her work in theory. Yes, I had my own
experience that launched the research, and my abiding faith in analytical psychology as a
compass to guide my exploration, however, I had no idea where I might be sailing. The
sea o f loss is vast, and I had a much to learn. None of my research was trivial. My voyage
with the orphan never really began until I encountered individuals who offered their
stories, offered them not just to me, but to all those who suffer the trials of being an
orphan. The participants o f this study were clear about their hope that their contribution
might help other orphans.
The stories to which I was privileged to receive taught me as much about the hero
as the orphan. In many ways the orphans of this study have in the words of the poet
Melville, unmoored and sailed the weariest of worlds. Through telling their life stories I
would like to believe that they have drawn closer to their own indwelling secrets,
approaching perchance, the ethereal world of which the weariest will never weary.
In closing, I would like to recount what I believe is the essence of each
individual’s journey towards individualization. The passage that follows illustrates both
the triumph and the sorrow inherent to each participant’s unique story.
Destination Unknown
“Let your mind start a journey through a strange new world. Leave all thoughts
of the world you knew before. Let your soul take you where you long to be. Close your
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eyes let your spirit start to soar and you'll live as you've never lived before” Erich Fromm
(1994, p.l).
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296
APPENDIX A
INTERVIEW PROTOCOL WITH PROBES
1. Please tell me your life history.

2. What ethnic, racial or cultural groups would you say you affiliate with?
3. At what age did you become an orphan?
4. How did you become an orphan?
5. How do you cope with challenges?
6. How do you feel about being an orphan?
6.1 How do you manage yourself?
7. Please describe the environment you grew up in?
7.1 How did you deal with any difficulty you encountered?
8. How would you describe your knowledge of your personal heritage?
9. What were some of the major barriers and obstacles you overcame in relation to being
an orphan?
10. What do you believe are the issues that affect orphans’ ability to succeed in life?
11. Please describe how any mentor or role model influenced you?
12. What role did the educational system play in your development and success?
13. Please describe your relationship with teachers?
13.1 How trustworthy do you feel your teachers were?

297

13.5 In what way did they discourage you?
14. How would you describe your academic capabilities?
15. How would you describe your personal self-management?
15.1 What types o f self-management strategies do you utilize now?
16. Did your estimation of yourself change overtime? How?
17. Describe your adaption to adversity?

17.3 How do you respond to adverse situations?
18. What kinds o f strategies did you employ to achieve your current position?
19. How would you describe your feelings and emotions at work and at home?
19.1 How do you deal with your feelings?
20. What were some o f the tactics that helped you

navigate your way through adversity to success?
21. How did you adjust your efforts to learn?

21.2 What were some of the methods you employed when you encountered
challenging subjects?
22. What were the motivators underlying your success?

298
A PPEN D IX B
MULTICULTURAL ADULT ORPHAN DEMOGRAPHICS
Please complete the following questions
1. How long have you been an orphan?
2. What is your race or ethnicity?
3. What is your gender?
4. What is your age?
5. What is your highest educational degree?
6. How many years have you been successful?
7. Are you in business, education, law, medical or health care?
8. What state do you reside in?

300
A PPEN D IX D
DPW LIN G
Informed Consent Form
October, 2012
Dear Participant,
You are being asked to participate in my research study. The purpose of the study is to
investigate and understand adult orphans who were not adopted and their adaptations to
adversity that enabled them to achieve highly successful careers. Moreover, the capacity
for self-management, use o f tactic knowledge, self-regulated learning, coping tactics,
emotional intelligence and their strategies to overcome the barriers they encountered
throughout their lives will be investigated. There are no risks involved in this study.
All your responses will be held in strict confidence. Your responses will not be identified
by name in any report, and I will not use the information in any way but as part of the
research study. You have the right to refuse the recording o f the interview. If you allow
the interview to be recorded, the recording will be destroyed after transcription.
Participation in the research study is strictly voluntary. If for any reason you do not want
to complete the interview, you can withdraw from the study at any time without penalty.
The interview should not take more than one and a half hours. You can decline to
participate at any time during the interview and you can refuse to answer any questions.
If you have any questions about the project, you may contact the Internal Review Board
at 1-800-DOWLING. You may also contact me at sxs71@dowling.edu or (516) 624-
9242 or my Dissertation Chairperson, Dr. Robert J. Manley at manleyr@dowling.edu or
at (631) 244-1349. If you have any questions regarding your rights as a subject, you
should contact the Institutional Review Board Chair, Dr. Michael Walker at
walkerm@dowling.edu or at (631)-244-3094.
All data will be kept in a locked cabinet at the home office o f the researcher. The data
will only be shared between the researcher and the dissertation chair. All data will be
coded to maintain anonymity.
AUTHORIZATION:
I have read the above and understand the nature o f this study and agree to participate.
I have had the opportunity to have my questions answered to my satisfaction. I
understand that I have the right not to participate and that I have the right to withdraw
at any time during the study. I f I have any concerns about my participation in this
study, I may contact:
Saundra W. Simonee, Doctoral Candidate
Dowling College, Shirley, New York 11967
Sxs71@dowling.edu or (516) 624-9242 (516) 672-5371
Signature:____________________________ D ate__________________
Print Name:
301
A PPEN D IX E
DEBRIEFING LETTER TO PARTICIPANTS
Dear Participant,
Thank you for your participation in my doctoral research project. The purpose of
this study is to investigate and understand adult orphans who were not adopted and their
adaptations to adversity that enabled them to achieve highly successful careers.
Moreover, their capacity for self-management practices, use of tactic knowledge, self
regulated learning, coping tactics, their sense of emotional intelligence and their
strategies to overcome the barriers they encountered throughout their lives will be
investigated.
Furthermore, this study examines the role the educational system played in the
participants’ lives. Additionally this study will examine the influence of academic self-
The benefits o f this study are to provide insight into multicultural adult orphans
who were not adopted and their ability to thrive and succeed despite their lack of familial
nurturing. The research and findings of this study concerning successful multicultural
adult orphans’ adaptation to adversity, knowledge of heritage, self-management, self
regulated learning, emotional intelligence, coping strategies, tactic knowledge, strategic
thinking, mentors and role models, teacher student relationships, trust of teachers and
academic self-efficacy are vital to the leaders of today and tomorrow. The findings will
add to the body of knowledge and research for governmental, non-governmental and
provincial agencies. In addition, strategies can be implemented to support leaders and
educators and all stakeholders regarding orphans.
After this study has been concluded a copy of the study will be available at
Dowling College Library. If you would like me to mail you a summative report please
contact me at sxs71@dowling.edu.
If you have any questions about the study, you may contact me at 516-624-9242
or at sxs71@dowling.edu. You may also contact Dr. Robert J. Manley, my dissertation
chairperson at ManleyR@dowling.edu or at 631-244-1349 or Dr. Michael Walker, the
Dowling Institutional Review Board chairperson at WalkerM@dowling.edu or 631-244-
3094.
Again, thank you for your participation in this research study.
Sincerely,
Saundra W. Simonee
Doctoral Candidate
Dowling College
Department o f Educational Administration,
Leadership and Technology
302
A PPEN DIX F
FOLLOW-UP CONTACT VIA TELEPHONE, E-MAIL, SKYPE OR IN PERSON TO

PARTICIPANTS WHO RESPONDED AFFIRMATIVELY
Dear
I am corresponding to confirm our interview session, please check the appropriate type
below:
In Person:
Thank you for agreeing to be interviewed as part of my study. I am writing to confirm
that the interview will take place o n __________________ (date)a t______________
(time) a t__________________ (location).
Telephone:
that the interview will take place o n _________________ (date) a t ______________
(time) a t__________________ (location).
E-mail:
that the interview will take place o n ______________ (date)a t_________________ (time)
a t___________________________ (location).
IPad:
a t___________________________ (location).
Skype:
a t___________________________ (location).
This verbal interview will be conducted by me and will last approximately one to one and
a half hours. A copy o f the interview questions you will be asked are attached. Your input
is valuable in preparing future educators. Thank you for your participation!
Sincerely,
Saundra W. Simonee
Doctoral Candidate, Dowling College
Telephone: (516) 624-9242
(516) 672-5371
E-Mail addresses:
Sxs71@dowling.edu
swsimonee@aol .co
Attachment: Interview Protocol
303
A PPEN DIX G
THE CURRENT PERSPECTIVE AND POSITION OF THE PARTICIPANTS
The Orphan Participants How They Evaluate Where They Are Today
Their Orphaned Experience
Participant #1 Raised in five Foster Homes by wise Fine and Performing Arts
women who nurtured her to become who Entertainer
she is today Business Executive
Foster Care Advocate
Author
Participant #2 Depraved, Brutal, Cruel Environment Mental Health Care Counselor and
The denial o f my heritage by the Educator

Government because o f the color o f my
skin Social Activist
Author
Impoverished
Participant #3 Extreme Poverty Medical Doctor
Cultural Deficiencies Cardiologist
Lack o f Multicultural Instruction Medical Administrator
Language Barrier Minister
Author
Participant #4 Learned to accept and endure the awful Doctor o f Education
tragedy of his mother’s death and unknown International Motivational Speaker

father and living in orphanage and foster
Professor
homes
Human Rights Advocate
The overall impression of poverty in the
Corporate Business CEO
orphanage was one of neglect and orphans
Author
disempowered to improve their lives
304
Participant #5 An experience I believe was the worst Educator
in my lifetime. A child should never Business Executive
have to suffer the atrocities o f being Motivational Speaker
mistreated by their caregivers Author
Participant #6 The orphanage was an abusive Corporate Business
environment which no child should Executive
ever have to endure. However, I Business Contractor
survived and thrived Writer
Author
Participant #7 The Orphanage was called The “H” I Doctor o f Philosophy
was secure there and I believe Economist
orphanages are a better alternate than Professor
the foster system Writer
Orphan Advocate Expert
Author
Participant #8 Traumatic Environmentalist
Nervous Breakdown Business Executive
Suffered from Post-Traumatic Stress Author
Disorder
305
Participant #9 Racism in orphanage, foster home, Aerospace Engineer
school and the community Business Executive
Lack o f Culture Awareness and Community Leader
multicultural instruction for Author
minorities
Participant #10 The worst experience o f my life; Nurse-Health Care
racism and intolerance for aboriginal Entertainer
and bi-racial orphans. I was not Business Executive
recognized as an Australian Author
Participant #11 I was raised by a community o f adults Director, Writer and Poet
mostly women who instilled in me the Business
art o f storytelling and the written Playwright
word Professor
Author
Participant #12 The Orphanage is the only place I felt Doctor o f Philosophy
secure. If it was not for the orphanage Clinical Psychologist
I do not know what would have Health Care
happened to me Philanthropist
Author
306
A PPEN D IX H
CONFIRMATION LETTER TO PROCEED WITH INTERVIEWS
Saundra W. Simonee
14 Whitney Avenue
East Norwich, New York 11732
(516) 624-9242
November, 2012
Dear Participant,
I am very pleased to state that I have received from Dowling College’s IRB
(Institutional Review Board) approval to complete my Doctoral Dissertation study.
Therefore, I can proceed with the interview process of my participants. The title of my
Doctoral Dissertation is:
AN ANALYSIS OF HOW MULTICULTURAL ADULT ORPHANS
Before commencing the interviews I have attached the documents that will be
utilized in the study. Your signature on Appendix C (The Informed Consent Form) is
necessary, also I would be most appreciative if you could fill out Appendix A (The
Demographics Form) as well as Appendix E (The Follow-up Form) requesting which
method you would prefer for your interview.
Appendix A is the interview protocol I will utilize, moreover, I will not deviate
from the script. It is not necessary for you to return it. It is provided for you to have a
sense of what the interview process will consist of when we schedule the appointment.
A self-addressed stamped envelope has been provided for your convenience.
Please sign and return the three documents cited above at your earliest convenience.
I am, and will continue to be humbly grateful for your support.
Sincerely,
Saundra W. Simonee
Doctoral Candidate
Dowling College
Attachment
307
A PPEN D IX I
PARTICIPANT MEMBER CHECKING
1. Our interview took place at a mutually agreed upon time and in a mutually
agreed upon location. A follow-up contact form was sent to you to ask the
method which you preferred to conduct your interview. The choices were:
In Person
By Telephone
By E-Mail
By iPad Face Time
By Skype Technology
2. The interview was audio taped and then transcribed in a written format. Your
confidentiality was respected at all times. The researcher Saundra W. Simonee
transcribed the audio tapes.
3. You were asked to answer a series of question about your experience as an

orphan including an additional addendum interview protocol question with
probes. The researcher initiated discussion with the questions however, the
dialogue was open and you were free to comment on anything which seemed
significant to you.
During the course of the interview when strong emotions and memories
surfaced and you felt a sense of discomfort, you were free to take a break from
the interview or discontinue the interview at that point. You were told
following the interview if you felt the need for psychological counseling,
referrals would be provided.
4. Following the transcription of the interview you were sent a copy o f the
transcript for additional comments, clarification, and correction. You were
also instructed that you could delete anything you were not satisfied with.
You were asked to respond to Saundra W. Simonee by email at
sxs71(fl)dowlina.edu or swsimonee@aol.com within a week to ten days only if
you were not satisfied with the telling of your story. Upon the receipt of any
queries or concerns the comments would be made and included in the final
draft of the dissertation.
308
APPEN D IX J
Dowling IRB Approval Letter
DOWLING COLLEGE
Institutional Review Board
To: Ms. Saundra W. Simonee
From: Dr. Michael Walker

Contact Info: walkerm@dowlinq.edu or 631-244-3094
Date: November 26, 2012
Re: Review of Human Subject Research
Project’s Title: AN ANALYSIS OF HOW MULTICULTURAL ADULT ORPHANS

The Institutional Review Board for the Protection of Human Subjects of Dowling
College has approved your project with the following provisions:
a. This approval is for one year, starting 11/26/2012 and ending 11/25/2013. If
you wish to conduct research beyond this period of time, you’ll need to fill out the IRB
Continuing Research Progress Report form. It is your responsibility to ensure that
you have an approved protocol at all times during your research.
b. Approved consent form(s) must be used by all subjects. You are responsible for
maintaining signed consent form(s) for a period of at least three years.
c. All modifications and/or changes to the approved protocol must be reviewed and
approved by the IRB prior to implementation.
d. All adverse events as a result of this research must be reported to the IRB at the
time of occurrence.
e. All principal investigators and other key research personnel have on file with the
IRB their Computer-Based Training (CBT) Certificates (i.e., IRB Course Completion
Certificates).
Good luck with your work!
Michael W alker
IRB Chair
APPENDIX K
PROFILE OF PARTICIPANTS
The participants represented twelve multicultural groups from the United States of
America and Australia, which included six males and six females. Three Caucasian
females and three ethnically diverse females; three Caucasian males and three ethnically
diverse males were purposely selected for this study. The setting was audio taped
interviews by e-mail, telephone, Skype technology, iPad face time, face-to-face and
person to person.
The participants were identified in the order of their data analysis criteria, which
was pertinent to the study. The interviews did not take place in the order o f their letter of
acceptance. In this manner the data analysis relevance was more sequence according to
the findings.
More than 50 multicultural adult orphans were identified for the purpose o f this
study; however, after careful screening forty-two invitations were sent out to prospective
or potential participants who met the criteria for selection for the research study.
While 20 out of 42 participants agreed to be a participant in this research study,
eighteen were interviewed. Out of the 18 participants interviewed a total o f twelve
participants were purposely selected and actually participated in this study.
At the time o f the interview, the researcher briefed the participants about the
purpose o f the research study and their place in it by reviewing the instructions and the
informed consent form eliciting any ambiguities, questions, or concerns. The interview
proceeded with the demographic and interview protocol questions.
In order to maintain confidentiality and honor the prerequisites of the IRB,
Institutional Review Board a brief synopsis of the participants lived experiences is cited
310
in the profiles. It was necessary to condense the profiles to maintain the integrity o f the
research study and the participants.
Appendix K presents the profiles of the participants.

311
Participant #1
Participant #1 is a 53 year old female biracial Caucasian American. She is in the
fine arts and performing arts entertainment business with a specialty as an actress and
writer. She has an honorary doctorate degree.
Participant #1 was orphaned at less than a year o f age (sixteen days old). Her
ethnic racial or cultural affiliation is her mother was of English descent and a Mayflower
descendant, her father was o f African-American descent. Other than the above she does
not know much about her personal heritage.
Participant #1 became an orphan because her mother had left her two sisters and
younger brother unsupervised to give birth to her. Child Services had found out and told
her mother she needed to surrender the children to them; which she did. She grew up on
a farm in a rural farmer’s environment. She said, “If you can farm than you can do just
about anything in life. You learn to be very self-sufficient.”
She said, “My adaptation to adversity was the transformational power of positive
mentoring and also teaching me not to be a victim in situations and try to extract the light
even in the darkness. There were many types of peer pressure regarding drugs and sex.
There weren’t many instances of positive peer pressure but I think I handled it very well
either way.”
Participant #1 said: “I’m still doing working on my self-management. I’m still
amazed at my life because I realize it’s not just my life; my life belongs to many, many
other people; either people who helped me to get here today and people who depend on
this message. I am still getting there and it is an amazing journey and every day is a
blessing.”
Participant # 1 spent eighteen years in foster care and all of her mentors were so
312
important to her. She grew up in five foster homes in rural Maine on a farmer. One of
her foster mother’s was an elderly white single woman who raised her for a portion of her
life. During this time she discovered that she had a pension for dance and encouraged her
to pursue her passion. The common thread that linked the transitional changes the
participant experienced from the five foster homes she was raised in were the powerful
female influences in her life. Every one of her foster parents communicated to her that
she would do well in life.
Mentoring made a world of difference in her life. She was raised by women who
gave her an incredible foundation and instilled in her a sense of self-worth.
The educational system played a major role in her development and success. To
have that one person in your life is parenting to success. If I did not have the mentoring
of Ms. A. who of course was just filled with wisdom I wouldn’t be the woman I am
today. She was able to infuse me with not only incredible morals and skills which were
given to her from her history which went back to the early 1800’s.
I really believe art saves lives whether it is reading; in my particular instance I
began to read and that’s how I kept that scholarship for eight years which led to other
academic advancements. None of this would have been possible if not for the visionary
persona that Ms. A. had.
Participant # 1 said, “I was raised by a woman that had vast knowledge. Ms. A.
was an out of box maker and ahead of her time and she really saw the link between
education and fine arts. She was a pianist and she understood the importance of
mathematics and that process and she understood how fine art opened the mind. She
knew I had an aptitude for ballet and she saw that so I got into this incredible school at
college. I don’t quite know how she did it all but she made it happen for me as a single
313
woman who was also a senior citizen.
Without her guidance and courage, I would never have experienced such a rich
opportunity.
314
Participant #2
Participant #2 is a 70 year old female multi-racial Aboriginal who is an
Indigenous Black Australian of Nyoongah heritage. She has a Master’s degree and is
pursuing a doctorate. She is in the healthcare profession with a specialty in counseling.
She is also a Social Activist for Aboriginal people.
Participant #2 was orphaned at the age of two. She was taken away from her
family because o f the color of her skin and put into an orphanage. There was a federal
government policy of removing fair-skinned children from their families for assimilation.
That is how she became an orphan.
Participant # 2 said, “Being an Aboriginal person for starters automatically made
her a ward of the state, because that is how the laws were written. Aboriginal people
were not recognized and acknowledged until 1967 as being Australian.”
Participant # 2 stated: “I was a victim of government’s assimilation policy which
was an appalling situation where we were programmed into believing we were white. Just
because o f my skin color I was denied a family. I still hurt today and the scars are hidden
deep inside; However, I remain scarred and marred. I cannot erase the past as it is
something that I can never forgive.
“When I hear the constant mention of This is the Australian Way, it really angers
me. Surely to goodness there are a lot of our people out there who could stand in a
government sector and teach others what we believe in. It is time for our people to be
empowered and say it as it is. So many of us suffer and continue to suffer from the
1940's. I have a Certificate of Exemption and I show it to people to educate them on how
it is.”
Participant #2 said, “There are really no words to explain how I feel about being
315
an orphan. I was taken from my parents because the government thought it was the right
thing to do. Without a notice or a care in the world I was just ripped away from the only
people I knew and threw into an environment that I had to get used to. So my feelings
about me being an orphan are very indifferent. I manage myself day to day.
The memories o f my childhood are empty. There are some memories that I wish I
couldn’t remember and there are others that I cherish and are very dear to me. At school
I was a real bully. I would hit or beat up anyone that got in my way. I remember one time
I got in trouble for belting a kid and the teacher was going to hit me with a cane and I
grabbed it from her. I was so out of control and I didn’t care because nobody cared about
me.
At the orphanage I was just another orphan who was drilled into living a
regimented life. Life at Sister K’s wasn’t easy. We had a very regimental style of living.
We were considered family because we knew nothing else. You couldn't go in search of
your mother because they told us we didn’t have one, you were told you were an orphan.
Life at Sister K's Orphanage wasn't what I would have liked it to be, but then again
I didn’t know any different. Children came in and out, people went, people came, and we
didn't really take much notice o f what was different for us. We had our dormitories, we
had our chores, did everything we had to do. It was a very sterile way o f living.
My career is all due to myself and the time and effort I took to get to where I am
at today. At this point in my life I am still learning each and every day. Personal growth
can occur through facing and enduring the struggles, the upsets and the adversity. The
future has a lot to offer and my research has been a big step to my healing and recovery
as an Aboriginal person.”
316
Participant #3
Participant # 3 is a 61 year old male Chinese Asian American who is in the
medical profession. He has a MD-MPH degree. He is a Cardiologist who was orphaned
at eight years of age and grew up in an orphanage. He stated, “I had really good
supervisors throughout my career.” And I think that is what really made the difference
for me. “I had people who really paid attention to my work and they told me when it was
good and when it was not. They really took the time to teach me. That is what prepared
me the most.
It was rough growing up. My mother and father were always working because
they were trying to provide for me, my brothers and sisters. Unfortunately, things didn’t
happen as planned but I believe God had a purpose for me and my family. My family life
is great. I couldn’t ask for a better family life. I have learned to love my family and put
my faith in God.”
Participant #3 said, “I did not have the luxury of going to school because we were
poor. They had opened a school next to my home and I envied the children that went into
that school every morning. I wished I could attend school. I would stand outside the
school for hours watching all the kids go inside. I eventually found a spot where I could
peek into the classroom. I would try to take in as much as possible and practice writing in
the dirt since I had no paper or pencil. Eventually a library opened and I started going
every day.”
A librarian heard about my family and how we were too poor to afford school.
She started to guide me in the choice of books to read and taught me new words
whenever she was able to. A new school was built and my father took me to take the
entrance examination. I scored the third highest for first grade. My parents were so proud
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o f me. My mother made my school uniform. I would walk every day to school; the only
problem was the unpredictable weather.
My brother and father passed away in the same year. My father’s small business
was taken over by creditors shortly afterwards. My mother tried to feed a family o f six on
her own and it wasn’t possible. Rev. P. whom was very close with my family had gotten
me placed in an orphanage. My mother though had stated the orphanage was a boarding
school and that was the reason why I was going. She had tricked me into going and when
we went on the tour she had just left me without saying goodbye.
I experienced loneliness, helplessness and the pain o f abandonment while I was in
the orphanage. The deep emotional wounds caused me to not trust anyone. After I learned
that my childhood experiences caused a lot of emotions negatively, I took the courage to
face them head on and I’m still improving every day.
“I have always had a strong work ethic. I wanted to go to school very badly and
when I got the chance to I made sure I did everything I had to so I could stay in school. I
was a very brilliant child and gave everything my all. I have worked very hard to get
where I am today in regards with my career. I have pushed myself beyond certain limits
to become a doctor and I couldn’t be happier.”
Participant # 3 believes he is an individual who is improving in every aspect of
his life every day. He loves his family, his life and his friends. He states, “I love my job
and the lives of people that I change on a day to day basis. Overall, I’m just happy.”
He said, “God gave me my sense of purpose, my source of identity and my reason
for living. From that day forward I had become a vessel through which God traveled.”
His story illustrates how a successful person must possess diligence, perseverance,
humility, and a profound desire to succeed. In addition, his faith guides him through
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life’s winding path."

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Participant #4
Participant #4 is a 47 year old male African American. He has a Doctorate degree
and several graduate degrees; he is an educator as well as businessman. He was orphaned
at five years of age. At the age of five, Participant # 4 and his eleven siblings lost their
mother to a cranial aneurysm.
With this event, he and nine of his eleven brothers and sisters were placed within
the New York City foster care system. He grew up in an orphanage as well as the foster
care system and is now a noted author, lecturer, TV talk show host, trainer, motivational
speaker, and entrepreneur.
From his mother’s death until the age of 18, he was under the authority of the
New York City foster care system, along with nine of his brothers and sisters. This
experience left an indelible mark on his life and professional work. As an adult, he has
labored continuously to offer options and opportunities to others that he and his siblings
did not have when they were served by the human service system.
He stated, “I remember my childhood as cold and dark. Going through what I
went through with my parents and my siblings was unbelievable. School wasn’t really a
problem for me at all I always worked hard and strived for the best in anything I did
including work.”
“Family means everything to me at this point in my life. My family life wasn’t so
great so I like to make sure my family life is in good standing at all times. I am happy
where I’m at in my career and owe it all to my family, myself and the struggles I
overcame. I am a very successful man but I love to give back to the community and give
things to children that I wasn’t able to get while I was an orphan child.”
Life is about cycles. It’s not always good and it’s not always bad. Once you learn
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that you should be able to cope with most of your challenges I feel as though being an
orphan was an unfortunate situation that led me and my eleven other siblings into an
orphanage but I got through it and now I am helping others that were once just like me.
The death o f my mother was a major obstacle that I had to overcome. I learned to deal
with difficulties and the barriers in relation to being an orphan. I manage myself with
time and fellowship.
To explain the environment I grew up in, in one word: Rough. There is no other
way to explain how it was growing up. I felt alone, helpless and sad but overtime I started
to take the negative feelings and turn them into positive. As far as my personal heritage is
concerned I am very aware o f my personal heritage. I speak to my other siblings and
family as often as possible. I have no knowledge of my father. I know my mother’s
heritage but I never knew who my father was.
I think that there are certain things that aren’t available to orphans and that would
affect their ability to succeed in life. I can’t say that there is truly one person that led me
through my life. When one person that had helped stepped out another person had picked
up where they left off. .1 was always in school. I wouldn’t be where I am today without
the knowledge I received from school. I think that life is a learning journey in which
successful completion o f each step demands full commitment to ourselves and others.
My feelings at work and home are almost the same. I work with many different
people and yes emotions tend to get involved as well as at home with my family. I have
no specific tactic or strategy that I used. The challenges of my early life have inspired my
personal, educational and professional achievements. I didn’t encounter any challenges
due to learning. I just strived for the best and always thought how proud my mother
would be o f me.
The motivators underlying my success were I had a mindset that my mother knew
we had certain stops or paths that we had to complete or pass through in order to grow. I
also had the mindset that if my mother was alive she would be happy o f the places that I
went to and never thought' would happen.. “I believed that there was a “Supreme Being”
watching over me and guiding me.”
Participant #4 journeyed from orphan and foster child to Doctor of Education,
nonprofit founder, and author. He has proven that success can be attained when a person
possesses commitment, tenacity, and integrity. In his career, he fulfilled a multitude of
roles, including direct care worker, foster parent, house parent, entrepreneur, nonprofit
and for-profit organization founder, Chief Executive Officer, adjunct professor, scholar-
in-residence, talk show host, and international motivational speaker.

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Participant #5
Participant #5 is a 70 year old female Caucasian American who said that she
discovered that she is also part Native America Indian and she was orphaned at nine
years o f age. She has a bachelor degree and pursued a master degree. She is an educator
and business person.
Participant #5 said “my mother had nine children by two different husbands that
abused her. Her first husband was an alcoholic and wife beater. My mother divorced him
and married my father who was nearly twice her age. Unfortunately, Mother went from
bad to worse. In the old days, one would say she jumped out of the frying pan into the
fire.” Also she said that her mother never told her that her parents thought she was
mentally ill. Never once did her mother tell her why her own family thought she was
crazy, but she said I knew without her telling me.”
Her mother taught her about God, how to treat others, and endless lessons on
conduct. She stated “Because of her attitude, I developed a sense of independence and
self-confidence at a very young age. This comes only from knowledge that you can
survive.”
“I was abandoned when I was nine years old and became an orphan and I felt
unwanted; had no confidence but I certainly was not weak. I learned to defend my rights;
I was referred to as trash.”
In many instances I was always working to overcome extreme poverty. I suffered
child abuse before becoming an orphan from my mother, father and family and after
being placed in an orphanage.
Many instances of childhood abuse gave me the fortitude and determination to
succeed at any cost. My brothers and sisters endured many hardships in a depressed
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mining area o f the south before being rescued by the Department of Human Services and
placed in the Baptist Children’s home Orphanage.
My family life was very complicated and highly upsetting. A very poor
environment; an environment full of abuse; an environment filled with minimal laughter
and play. The orphanage was a very mixed environment that no child should live in.
Many instances of childhood abuse gave me the fortitude and determination to succeed at
any cost. I am still myself but an older, stronger version.
I do not cope with challenges very well; sometimes the challenges become too
much and I can’t control myself. I feel that being an orphan is an unfortunate situation
which I cope with it every day. I manage myself the best way I can. I didn’t deal with it
very well. I wanted to blame others and feel as though I was the victim at times.
I am very aware of my personal heritage and embrace it very well.
I overcame low self-esteem, child abuse, deprivation and poverty. The everyday
struggles that each individual goes through I believe affects an orphan’s ability to
succeed in life and I was my own role model. I was determined to survive and make
something out o f myself.
“My academic capabilities were always strong. I was always the only child in my
class getting A ’s. I had a behavioral problem, not an academic one. My personal self
management and coping mechanism is a work in progress. I stay calm and take one day
at a time. Also I tend to dwell on other peoples issues instead of my own. I had to build
my character a lot and teach myself a few hard lessons. I take it day by day and step by
step. Every situation is different and needs to be handled differently.”
She observed that she didn’t think she was going to make it to where she is today.
She dissects each situation and takes it from there. “I tend to separate my feelings from
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work and home. If I had a bad day at work I leave it at work and vice versa for home. I
deal with my feelings the best way I can.”
Determination was her number one tactic. She refused to blame others for her
difficulties and decided never to see herself as a victim of anything.

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Participant #6
Participant #6 is a 66 year old male Caucasian American business man who was
orphaned at six years o f age. He has a bachelor’s degree and is a corporate executive and
businessman. He entered a South Carolina orphanage when he was about seven years old.
His father was in prison.
He said, “My first memory of my childhood is being hungry. I didn’t have a real
good elementary school experience. I did with the kids but the teachers were the problem.
The first year in the orphanage home was the first year that the orphanage home went to
public school. We weren’t very well accepted. The kids liked us but the teachers didn’t
accept us too well. High school was different. We had been going to school for ten years
already and blended in by now. I played football and I was vice president for my
sophomore, junior and senior years.”
“I tried to distant myself from the people in the orphanage because I didn’t want
to be classified as an orphan.”
It’s hard to say what barriers you’ve overcome because that’s the only life you
lived. The issues that affect orphans’ ability to succeed in life I believe it has a lot to do
with not knowing your family background. My role model was someone like Roy
Rogers. We didn’t have a lot of mentors or role models that came to the orphanage.
Participant # 6 estimation of himself changed because nobody had any confidence
in me in the orphanage so I had to develop my own confidence. We all said bad words,
stuck our middle fingers up at each and had our own personal thoughts about one another.
I can’t think o f any positive peer pressure that we had but we had a lot of negative peer
pressure and dealt with them the best way we could.
“The educational role played a part in everything I did. I studied hard and worked
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myself through high school and college. I did not have a relationship with teachers
although I believe they were very trustworthy. It was hard for me to develop their trust. I
did trust them because they never told on me and they kept their word.” He noted we did
not do anything different because adverse situations are a part of life. I studied hard,
worked hard and finished college.
“As far as how I perceived myself I did not like myself at all because I was an
orphan; and I also felt that God did not like orphans. It was not until I became an adult
and sought psychological counseling that I began to see myself in a different light and it
was then that I started to develop a sense of self-worth.”
I have always worked. I had never had a day off until I worked for a company that
gave me vacation time. I have always worked hard and expected a lot of things from
people that worked for me. As a boss, I have always gotten along with people because I
understood where they came from because they didn’t come with a silver spoon in their
mouth and neither did I.
My feelings and emotions at work and at home are about the same because I
enjoy what I’m doing and I work for myself. I talk about what’s bothering me because
the more you think about it the angrier you get so I try to shake it off the best way I can. I
try to control my feelings also. If you can’t control your feelings than nobody else can.
Working hard and making the best out of certain situations is a strategy I use.
I manage myself very well. I participate in church and do what I can throughout
the day. The only thing I will not participate in is the all men groups. I don’t feel
comfortable around all men groups.
With my difficulties I analyze them and decide which way I need to go.
Sometimes you have difficulties and you just need to go in a different direction. I hit
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them head on and my life now is somewhat stress free.

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Participant #7
Participant #7 is a 70 year old male Caucasian American who was orphaned at ten
years o f age and grew up in an orphanage. He has a Doctorate degree and is an
Economist and Educator who is an internationally renowned Economics Professor who
shares the story of his childhood, during which he was taken from his abusive and
alcoholic parents and raised in an orphanage which was a children's shelter in North
Carolina.
“Briefly, my parents were alcoholics, divorced when I was five. My mother
committed suicide when I was 10, after which my mother’s sisters got custody of my
brother and me and placed us in an Orphanage. My orphanage experience, I would
describe the experience as life altering. I went from having poor life prospects to having
unlimited prospects. If you mean my “school,” as in education, I would say I was a poor
student through my first seven grades, but then I decided to make a run for the limit -
college and beyond. My school/education record was mixed. I was great in math; not so
good at reading and verbal skills."
“My work history for a better forty-five-year career consisted of rising from no-
name-university professor positions to having a named professorship at a top research
university at the conclusion of my career. For the most part, I got to do what I wanted in
terms o f teaching and research and writing.”
“I was in an orphanage for eight years, 1952-1960, but I was supported through
college, which means I had a connection to my orphanage for a total of twelve years.”
“I would describe my family life as mixed. My first marriage was not a good one,
mainly because we came from radically different backgrounds (childhoods). The first
marriage lasted eighteen years. Two of the three children from that marriage have never
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gotten over the divorce. My second marriage has been nothing short of wonderful with
one daughter. It has lasted twenty-seven years and going strong. I have great
relationship with two o f my four children, my eldest son (1st marriage) and my youngest
daughter (2nd marriage). And I have to insist that my first wife has done everything she
can to undercut my relationship with the other two children.”
“I could never have imagined that I would come close to being as successful as I
have been on all fronts (financial, respect of colleagues, and respect of students). I have
received more teaching awards than I can count in my head. And my career has not
stopped with “retirement.” I continue to research/write as always with essays and books
in the work, and I have a video online lecture course that now has over 28,000 (no
mistake) students enrolled with the potential of the enrollment doubling by the time the
course opens in mid-January.”
Until recently, I have told few people other than close friends of my background
but not because I resent the way I grew up. On the contrary, I am proud o f it, and
thankful. Rather, I have kept my childhood a guarded secret because of the gross
misconceptions many people have of what it meant to be an “orphan” and to grow up in
an “orphanage.” To me, and to many of my cohorts at “The H” (which is what we called
it), the words “Orphan” and “Orphanages” were “O-words,” and not to be used except in
the closed company of those with whom we journeyed through our formative years.
Today I have no problem being an orphan. Proud to have done well in spite of
that beginning, but then people don’t understand that I have done well in life not in spite
of being an orphan, but because of my good fortune to be an orphan and get out of some
not-so-good circumstances.
I feel I can rightfully bask in the good feelings of a job well done (or as good a
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job as I could have done). At the same time, I am starting a new career apart from the
swaddling position o f a university professorship. Work away, without regard to time at
task is how I cope with challenges. My work has never been a “job.” I have been truly
fortunate in my career path. I did well not so much because of brains, but I just
outworked others.
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Participant #8
Participant #8 is a 62 year old female Caucasian American. She is an
environmentalist in business who was orphaned at the age of eleven. She has a Bachelor
degree.
In 1961, Participant #8 was only eleven years old when she was abandoned at sea
for days after the sinking of her family’s rented sailboat off the coast of Florida. She was
barely alive when a crew member on a freighter found her alone on a tiny float four days
after a sailboat captain killed her family. In the three and a half days that followed T.
clung to the tiny float in shark-infested waters, bearing burning sun by day and chilling
cold by night without food or water to sustain her.
She said, “I was never frightened. I was an outdoor child and I loved the water,”
she told ‘Today.” “I had strong faith. I believed in God and I prayed for him to help me
and I just went with the flow I guess.”
Participant #8 said she received little psychological treatment after the
traumatizing ordeal, but telling her story has been therapeutic. “I thought that I was
spared for a reason and that the reason would be to help other people,” she said, “I would
just hope that I could help someone after they heard my story, to give them inspiration.”
The main thing I remember about my childhood is losing my family and feeling so lost
and alone.
I became an orphan at the age of eleven. My family and both of my parents and
siblings were murdered on a boat and I was the only survivor. That is how I became an
orphan. I don’t do well while coping with challenges. I have had many phobias and I also
dealt with my own post-traumatic stress disorder but I think it made me a stronger
individual today.
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Participant #8 said, “I believe being an orphan is an unfortunate situation and
there is nothing I can do about that so I try to just move forward and live my life. I take
everything one step at a time; I struggle every day because of the environment I grew up
in. I know who I am and I know where I came from as far as my heritage is concerned.
Some of the major barriers and obstacles I overcame in relation to being an
orphan are I had to overcome my fears and learn to love. I believe that love conquers
many fears. I think each person is different and handle each situation differently so it is
very hard to say what affects orphans’ ability to succeed in life. My grandmother was my
greatest mentor or role model. She was my teacher, my muse and my angel.”
It took Participant #8 nearly twenty years (and a name change) before she could
talk about those terrible events, not to family, friends, husbands, not even to a therapist.
In fact she needed a sodium amytal (truth serum) injection in order to remember intimate
details o f the traumatic crime. Her story is a true testament to the human spirit.
School wasn’t fun nor was I ready to learn. I was always in trouble and was also
dealing with other issues so school was not my main focus at all. I worked here and there
but I wasn’t very fond o f it because I had no family; I lost them at a young age. I am
happy about where I am with regards to my career; I love what I do. I have come a long
way and I’m just thankful that I’m here to share my story with others and do what I love.
The educational system played a major part in my development and success. The
only teacher that I thought was genuinely trustworthy was my Spanish teacher. She
helped facilitate my learning and development. There was no special relationship
between us and there was no trust between us. The teachers didn’t inspire me or
encourage me and they never discouraged me.
It is hard, maybe wrong to use the word “miracle” when five out of six innocent
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people die and one person survives. And yet my ordeal of and survival were still
extraordinary. I drew strength - great - strength from the fact that I had survived. From
the very first moment I was convinced that I must have survived for a reason. I had
survived the worst there is. Even at the age of eleven, I wanted others to be inspired by
my story because I knew God was the source of the “miracle.”
The family tragedy enabled her to adopt a personal view of herself as a survivor.
At age eleven, she was convinced she survived for a reason and God had a purpose for
her. She sees herself as an instrument of God.

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Participant #9
Participant #9 is a 59 year old male African American Aerospace Engineer who
was orphaned at two years of age. He has a bachelor’s degree and is pursuing a master’s
degree. He became an orphan at the age of two when his father saddened and
disheartened by the death o f his mother took him to Nigeria to grow up with paternal
relatives. His grandmother was delighted to finally have a chance to become acquainted
with her grandson she had never seen, and delightedly agreed to take care of him while
his father went to work in the city. However, his father was killed and he had no parents.
“I remember early in my life, my grandmother, who raised me so lovingly, told
me that the family is poor not because of God but because no member of the family has
ever desired to change that equation of poverty. She also assured me that I could achieve
anything I wanted in life because God is always a good God. These words of wisdom and
encouragement became the cornerstone of my faith to succeed in life. She died when I
was twelve years old.” Other relatives tried to look after him.
While attending private Nigerian schools, I was the fastest runner as well as the
best in soccer, the 100-yard sprint, the 220-yard sprint, the high jump, and the long jump.
As a result of my athletic skills, I was one of the most popular kids, not only among my
friends but also among the neighbors in and around the small city where my grandmother
lived. Because o f my successes, people expected a lot from me at an early age.
In order to live up to these expectations, I went around telling everyone that I
would return to the United States to become an aerospace engineer. At this point in my
history, my dream o f coming back to the United States seemed impossible. I began to
experience less affection from the neighbors who used to be good friends of my
grandmother.
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My friends started to question me about how and when I was planning to return to
the United States to study aerospace engineering and how I would be able to take them to
the United States. These friends were actually mocking me, because they realized that my
dream of returning to the United States had been compromised. I was very miserable, as I
was ridiculed every day o f my life.
It was then that I started thinking about what my grandmother had said. She had
said that I could achieve anything I set my mind to, because God is always a good God.
From that point on, though my friends continued to laugh at me, I believed in my mind
that I would return to the United States, become an aerospace engineer, and prove to
these people that all things were possible with God. I did in fact prove these people
wrong and the ways in which I did are outlined in my story.
Through prayers and fasting and faith, he managed himself by staying strong.
It was very tough because there is no one to talk to when the going gets really tough.
Early in my life, my grandmother set the foundation of eternal faith and assured me that I
was a very special person and I would succeed in life. The faith she instilled in me as a
child was the nucleus of my being.
While I was experiencing these academic challenges, I was reminded over and
over by the “enemies o f progress” that it would be impossible for me to successfully
complete my aerospace engineering degree program. They said that the high cost of the
aerospace engineering program, the fact that I came from a third-world country, my
accent, my lack of any background with aviation related technology, and the extensive
and challenging academic workload would prevent me from becoming an aerospace
engineer.
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In spite of these limitations, I graduated at the top of my class with a degree in
aerospace engineering. Given that T-State University is one of the best aerospace
engineering schools in the nation, I certainly did not only proved these people wrong but
became one o f the best aerospace engineers trained by the aerospace engineering
university in the United States.

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Participant #10
Participant #10 is a 64 year old female Bi-racial Black/White Australian who has
been an orphan since birth. She has a Bachelor degree in the Health Care field as a nurse
but is now a business person and entertainer. She said, “I have been an orphan since I
was bom.”
My mother was very young when she had me. In those days it was considered a
sin to have a baby if you were unmarried and young. Also, I was biracial which was
considered a major sin also. My mother could not bring me back to her mother’s house so
she found a family to take care of me for a fee. Unfortunately, the strangers that were
caring for me abused me and neglected me so I lived with friends of my mother.
Her blonde haired blue eyed fair skinned mother, the beautiful “Princess
Mummy” came from a white Australian middle class family, her father an African-
American had been in the US Merchant Navy on R & R in Sydney during the war. When
Participant #10 was bom illegitimately her mother chose not only to more or less disown
her but to also deny her any knowledge of her heritage, telling her that her father was
dead and refusing to even let her know his name.
Participant #10 said, “One thing I remember from my childhood is that I was
always gorgeously dressed. People would always comment or state how lovely they
thought I looked.”
School was a major thing in the institution. If we dared to act out or disrupt the
class we got severe beatings. Disobedience of any kind was not tolerated. We had to line
up quietly and go to every activity that was scheduled. To go from the carefree
environment to the institution was a major change. There were many chores to be done
daily. I had to learn how to work and do chores from the day I got to the institution.
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My family was taken from me so when I went into the institution which was an
orphanage, I had no family left. My mother claimed she would come and see me but she
had lied and came very rarely. I felt as if I was in a family all of my own.
I am pleased where I am at in my career. I am a entertainer and I love what I do. I
love that I can put smiles on people’s faces. I am still the same little girl but just older and
wiser. Sometimes I tend to think about my life and the way things went but I am happy
now; it took a very long time to get here though.
I cope with challenges very well. I tell myself that you can be anything you want
and with that I always rise to the occasion. I feel unfortunate about being an orphan. I
was a little girl who was in a world of my own. There was no more love or warmth
surrounding me; just institutional care. I learned to manage myself very well.
I was bom into a hostile environment all because of the color of my skin. I grew
up in the house with my mother’s friends. They took me from an abusive situation and
replaced it with laughter, hugs, joy, music and a house full of love. I than was ripped
away from them and placed into an orphanage with nuns.
I prayed when I encountered any type of difficulty. I became fascinated with the
religious side of convent life because it was so unfamiliar and confusing. I prayed every
day and sometimes my prayers were answered. I would tell God all of my troubles and
thanked him for the few good days that I had in my life.
Being in an institution and taken away from your parents are major barriers and
obstacles that I had to overcome within itself. Also, being biracial was a major barrier I
had to overcome. She said, “No! is a motivator.” Because I know that God has a plan for
me.
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Participant #10 said, “I was not even recognized as an Australian because of the
government, therefore, I was denied my birth right and my heritage. I was a lost soul.”
She was placed in an orphanage where education was very important. And so was
corporal punishment. I went to school every day because I had to. As I got a little older I
veered away from education and dropped out of high school so I could do my own thing.
I eventually got things back on track and finished school.

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Participant #11
Participant #11 is a 53 year old female African American who was orphaned at
the age of two. She has a master’s degree in communication and fine arts and is in
business. She is a poet, writer, playwright and director. Her mother passed away when
she was two years old; so a group of family members and women in the community came
together and raised her.
Participant #11 is a novelist, playwright, and author of short stories. She has been
fascinated with the written word since she first learned how to read. She was raised by a
community o f women after her mother died. They instilled in her the morals and values
that has attributed to her success. She said, “I was raised by my surrounding community
and my family members so there was always something going on whether small or big.
They taught me how to become an independent free-thinking person and I am thankful
for that.”
Participant #11 grew up in an environment o f mainly women; they were all very
wise and had all overcame many difficulties; they raised me very well and made sure
they could do the best for me. The main difficulty that I encountered was racism. I can
remember that I wanted to become an actress but there were a lot of racial tensions so I
changed my area o f interest and focused on writing. I am very aware of my personal
heritage since I was raised by my family and the women in my community.
Racism was the main barrier. It was difficult at times but I got through it.
The issues that affect orphans’ ability to succeed in life “I think someone having tunnel
vision affects anybody’s ability to succeed in life especially an orphan. I was raised as a
free-thinking spirit and I assumed almost everybody else was raised that way also.”
Racism was the main challenge that I encountered throughout life and especially
341
in school. I had to speak to the elders that raised me to see what I could do or how they
felt about it. At times it did discourage me but I realized that racism was around then and
now and there is nothing I can do.
I didn’t have one mentor or one role model that influenced me. I believe that the
whole community that raised me influenced me greatly.
“I have always been fascinated with the written word since I was a young child.
My favorite dream is the one I have as a child and I lived in the library. I was one of the
first people in my family to attend college and graduate. School was always important to
me.”
“The educational system played a major role in my development and success I
was taught at a young age that education was a major part of your life and to always put
your best foot forward. I believe the teachers were trustworthy. I never had a relationship
with them to develop my trust and I never had a relationship with teachers to develop
their trust. The teachers were standoffish they didn’t inspire or encourage me anymore
than they did the other students. The teachers themselves never discouraged me. My
academic capabilities entailed hard work I always went above and beyond in regards to
my academics.”
“My personal self-management is fine; remaining calm and just taking my day
one step at a time are the best personal self-management strategies I use. My estimation
of myself never changed. I was always in search of myself predominately because
somehow I knew had a purpose and I found that in writing.”
Adapting to adversity was extremely difficult because growing up we all had peer
pressures. Stealing things from the store and lying were the basic peer pressures I
encountered. Negative and positive peer pressure is always around you no matter where
you go; it is how you deal with it that makes a difference. I respond to adverse situations
very well because there aren’t many in my life as of now.
“Hard work, determination and the mindset that I can do anything I put my mind
to are some of the strategies I employed to achieve my current position. My feelings at
home and work are the same since I am a writer. I write to help deal with my feelings. I
didn’t have any specific tactics that I used to get where I am at today.”
343
Participant #12
Participant #12 is a 56 year old male Caucasian American psychologist who was
orphaned at nine years of age. He has a doctorate degree and works in Health Care.
He was nine when his father left him alongside a highway. The child waited alone
for a bus to come. It was to take him back to Florida, to his mother. But his mother was
living with a new boyfriend. Little boys were no longer welcome. He was left to survive
alone on the streets o f Tampa.
Eventually, he was picked up and sent to an orphanage. He never saw his mother
or father again. An abandoned boy might be expected to grow into a bitter man. He
believed in helping others, “I always loved to work and help others while I was working
on myself. My family deserted me without any explanation so my family life was awful. I
was my own family.”
Participant #12 said, “I lived in the orphanage for nine years. I learned to do
everything there and that was the first place I ever felt secure. I manage myself very well.
I always take care o f others first but I take care of my family and myself also. The
environment I grew up in wasn’t bad at all. I had some bad experiences but the
environment itself wasn’t bad. I was always learning new things and was never really
limited to what I could and couldn’t do.
Any difficulty I encountered I prayed to God or spoke to him. I felt as though I
was a good person and God loved me so it could only get better.
Participant #12 has often exceeded expectations. At a time of year when we give
thanks for the good in life, Participant # 12 also is thankful for the bad. “God has been
looking over me, protecting me and providing me with opportunities that I never would
have had if I had stayed with my parents.”

344
He gives God thanks for his life. He remembers a lot of things about his
childhood; good and bad. He states “I don’t like to look back I like to keep pushing
forward. Usually when the boys in the orphanage reach a certain age they leave the
orphanage and join the military but instead I wanted to go college. So the parents of two
of my friends opened their homes to me so I could finish high school. I didn’t’ want to be
a psychologist in college. I changed my major four times before I decided that
psychology was the best thing for me.”
“I knew then that God loved me and I was a good boy and he had a purpose for
me. Sometimes I just had to get away and put my faith in God for my survival.”
I am a much stronger man now than when I was a little boy. I have always been
strong but going through the things I went through I always talked to God because I knew
he had a plan for me. As o f right now I don’t have many challenges in my life. While
growing up though, I always had to say to myself to have faith and that I needed to wait
patiently for transformation.
Participant #12 said, “It is about self-discovery as well as finding God in all the
right places.” He often places us in the path of wise people who will help us to
understand ourselves and how to continue to journey through spiritual growth. He said,
“The most important relationship you will ever have with anyone, aside from one with
God, is that which you have with yourself.”
The participant’s answer revealed his experience of being homeless and alone at
age nine, helped him discover himself as someone valuable. God loved him and he
thought of himself as a good person. He became the person he envisioned “a child of
God.”
SUMMARY
PROFILE OF PARTICIPANTS
In essence, all twelve multicultural adult orphan participants did acquire their
personal identity and sense o f self-worth. In addition, they entered the fullness of
individualization not by letting go of the conditions that have enchanted (shaped) their
development, but by taking up in full awareness the paradoxical cross of heritage and
destiny. It is in the spirit that they, as Punnett (2003) suggests, became whole in their
aloneness: alone, yet at one with the world. Their story o f place is entwined with and
enchants the story o f the individual.
Despite their adverse beginnings, however, the orphans have demonstrated the
determination and resilience needed to overcome early relational trauma. The continuous
underlying presence o f the Self has served as a vocational beacon and as a healing
spiritual connection with a higher power in the orphans’ darkest hour. In ways unique to
their identity, the orphans of this study have integrated their experiences of abandonment
and loss and have moved deeply into their individual journey, making valuable
contributions to society because of and through their suffering (Issac, 2008, p. 476).
To reiterate, the four major sources of identity for the orphan participants are
personal, loving adult, divine purpose and professional help.
The metamorphosis of the adult multicultural orphan participants in this study,
who achieved economic and career success, is analogous to a butterfly emerging from its
cocoon.
All participants revealed that the writing of their life story was a catharsis and
healing process. Although the wounds will heal, the scars will always remain. There is a
remedy or cure for hopelessness, brokenness, powerlessness, and a sense of

346
worthlessness.
Williams (2008) purported that “Success is the remedy and the cure; it is the
passport to a better way o f life.”

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AN ANALYSIS OF HOW MULTICULTURAL ADULT ORPHANS

ACHIEVE ECONOMIC SUCCESS

Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree

All rights reserved

INFORMATION TO ALL USERS

RobekJJ. Manley, Ph.D.

S.i'v'larshall Perry, Ph.D.

Thomas F. Kelly, Ph.D.

and dissected the patterns, themes, similarities, commonalities, differences and

discrepancies that contributed to their rising above their circumstances in spite of

orphan population and their quest to become responsible productive contributing

age out of the system with no type of support or familial base.

While studies in the area of orphans’ physical, psychological, social emotional

Politicians, administrators, teachers, guidance counselors, social workers and child

This phenomenological qualitative study sought to explore the educational system

Diverse from the United States of America and Australia.

The phenomenological qualitative methodology of this study included an in-depth

semi-structured narrative interview protocol with probes consisting of 22 questions. A

demographic questionnaire was developed comprised of eight items focusing on the

participants’ personal identity.

analyzed for discrepancies, differences, similarities, commonalities, patterns and themes.

Design, Career Efforts, Self-Concept, Coping, Motivation and Mentors/Counselors.

orphan population as well as society.

needs to be examined concerning the aftermath of the at-risk orphan population.

nourishment I needed to complete my doctoral journey. Their unending patience,

tolerance, kindness, and unconditional love were the nucleus of my success.

instrumental, instructional, academic pedagogical, technological, social and emotional

I have been empowered! I learned to be a “victor” and not a “victim” and to

also thank my professional colleagues. My appreciation cannot be expressed in mere

mother. I am indebted to them for these lessons learned.

My eldest daughter became my personal assistant and spent numerous hours

understand who I am and how to be a complete, committed, responsible, and thoughtful

I am extremely thankful to the individuals who spent endless hours helping me

To my doctoral dissertation chairperson, Dr. Robert J. Manley, whose genius,

brilliance, perfectionism, guidance, tolerance, patience and acute attention to detail

and counseling was the cornerstone of my determination to produce a high quality

role of an educator. “You are my earth angel.”

To my doctoral dissertation design specialist, Dr. S. Marshall Perry, whose

He continually provided me with significant insight and wisdom throughout my

your endorsements, it meant the world to me.

To my doctoral dissertation external reader, Dr. Richard F. Bemato whose

study helped to elevate me to reach a higher level. He provided me with intellectual

conversation, advisement, mentoring and motivation to initially embark on this doctoral

To my doctoral dissertation reader, Dr. Elsa-Sofia Morote, whose brilliance,

time, to fulfill a purpose that was meant to be through divine intervention.

achieved professional, economic, and career success.

closet door and helping me step out to remove my facade.

To my doctoral dissertation reader, Dr. Thomas F. Kelly whose spiritual guidance,

whenever I veered off course.

With that said, the truth did set me free.

Most importantly, I would like to thank all the members of my multicultural

To my doctoral advisor, Dr. Albert F. Inserra for giving o f himself, having

my doctoral journey. Also, Dr. Inserra, your infectious smile is contagious!

Thanks, I needed that!

together was stupendous, amazing, and exhilarating.

My thanks to Cohort 15 “The Invincibles” for your never-ending love, support,

Essentially, the original fifteen members o f Cohort 15 represented the

forefront of my life. “You are my extended family.”

I could have asked for; I am forever grateful for your understanding.