Cultural Transitions During Childhood and Adjustment to College

Abstract

Some research has been done on Third Culture Kids (TCKs), those who grow up outside of their parent’s culture and build relationships with the multiple cultures during their developmental years (Pollock & Van Reken, 2001). Steps have been taken to address the needs in preparing TCKs for college (Wyse, 1998), but some still face difficulties in adjustment (Cockburn, 2002). This study was designed to look for correlations between the pattern of transitions during childhood and the success in adjustment into college for Missionary Kids (MKs), a subgroup of TCKs. It is hypothesized that MKs who had more negative experiences in earlier transitions would find adjustment to college more difficult, those who have had less interaction with Western peers while growing up and less support when returning to the North America would have greater trouble in the process of transition, and those later in the education process would feel more adjusted than those having recently returned. While the results supported the first hypothesis, the second two were only partially confirmed. The implications of these and additional findings are discussed.

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