Individual, Social and Cultural Barriers and Resources as Predictors of the Sociocultural Adaptation and Acculturative Stress of Non-Western Third Culture Kids (TCKs)

Magdalena Mosanya; Anna Kwiatkowska

doi:10.1002/casp.70132

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Individual, Social and Cultural Barriers and Resources as Predictors of the Sociocultural Adaptation and Acculturative Stress of Non-Western Third Culture Kids (TCKs)

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Individual, Social and Cultural Barriers and Resources as Predictors of the Sociocultural Adaptation and Acculturative Stress of Non-Western Third Culture Kids (TCKs)

Magdalena Mosanya and Anna Kwiatkowska

Journal of Community & Applied Social Psychology, Vol.35(4), e70132

2025

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/casp.70132

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Abstract

cultural intelligence

marginalisation

multicultural identity

self-efficacy

third culture kids

Due to 21st-century social advancements, the number of children growing up in culturally ‘transient’ families, also referred to as third culture kids (TCKs), is growing. Studies with bicultural individuals suggest that identity processes are essential to TCKs' life outcomes with identity strategies of integration, compartmentalization and categorization as moderators. Further, sociocultural factors supporting multicultural individuals' adaptation are proposed. We explored the functioning (sociocultural adaptation and acculturative stress) of TCKs (N = 322, 75% females, 71% South Asian, age M = 20.2, SD = 3.1) in association with three groups of factors: individual resources (multicultural identity configurations, self-efficacy, cultural intelligence), social (family bonds, marginalisation), and cultural (cultural distance). The results of two hierarchical regression analyses revealed that the factors explained 54% of the variance in sociocultural adaptation and 33% in acculturative stress. We concluded that TCKs, while adapting to a sociocultural environment, rely mainly on accumulated individual resources, with the support of a friendly immediate family environment.

Details

Title: Individual, Social and Cultural Barriers and Resources as Predictors of the Sociocultural Adaptation and Acculturative Stress of Non-Western Third Culture Kids (TCKs)
Authors/Creators: Magdalena Mosanya
Anna Kwiatkowska
Publication Details: Journal of Community & Applied Social Psychology, Vol.35(4), e70132
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Number of pages: 11
Identifiers: 991005788080307891
Murdoch Affiliation: Murdoch University
Resource Type: Journal article

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Collaboration types: International collaboration
Citation topics: 6 Social Sciences; 6.11 Education & Educational Research; 6.11.1255 International Education
Web Of Science research areas: Psychology, Social
ESI research areas: Psychiatry/Psychology