Ethnic Identity Development in Third Culture Kids in the United States
Conference Strand
Identity Formation
Abstract
The United States has a growing community of immigrants, refugees, and asylees. Although these individuals face challenges with adjustment, their children experience a different set of obstacles as third culture kids (TCKs). This presentation addresses the experience and identity development of these children who often feel they do not have full ownership in any culture.
Evidence
Bureau, U. C. (n.d.). Census.gov. Retrieved November 1, 2017, from https://www.census.gov/en.html
Frequently Requested Statistics on Immigrants and Immigration in the United States. (2017, March 7). Retrieved November 1, 2017, from https://www.migrationpolicy.org/article/frequently-requested-statistics-immigrants-and-immigration-united-states
Melles, E. A., & Schwartz, J. (2013). Does the third culture kid experience predict levels of prejudice? International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 37(2), 260–267. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijintrel.2012.08.001
Moore, A. M., & Barker, G. G. (2012). Confused or multicultural: Third culture individuals’ cultural identity. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 36(4), 553–562. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijintrel.2011.11.002
TCKWorld: The Official Home of Third Culture Kids (TCKs). (n.d.). Retrieved November 1, 2017, from http://www.tckworld.com/
Format
Individual Presentations
Biographical Sketch
Kate Crockett, B.S.
Kate Crockett is pursuing her M.Ed. in Counselor Education from Augusta University and previously received a B.S. in Anthropology from Kennesaw State University. Kate has extensive experience in working the immigrant and refugee population in Georgia. After graduating, she worked as the Matching Grant and Financial Literacy Coordinator at New American Pathways. In this role, she helped clients learn about managing finances while beginning their path to self-sufficiency in the U.S. She believes in advocating for better mental health services for the immigrant and refugee population.
Daniel Jeng, B.A.
Daniel Jeng received a B.A. in Applied Linguistics from Georgia State University. He is currently pursuing a M.Ed. in Counselor Education from Augusta University. Mr. Jeng has been an educator and an advocate for the immigrant populations in Georgia. Daniel grew up in Clarkston, the resettlement zone in Georgia, and has worked as a school liaison, employment Americorps member, and housing coordinator.
Julian Yoon, B.S.
Julian Yoon is a master's student at Augusta University for Counselor Education. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Georgia with a Bachelor's of Science in Psychology. As the assistant director of Art Play Studio, his objective was to provide art-related therapeutic activities to child and adolescent patients at the Children's Hospital of Georgia.
Start Date
2-9-2018 2:30 PM
End Date
2-9-2018 3:45 PM
Recommended Citation
Crockett, Kate E.; Jeng, Daniel; and Yoon, Julian, "Ethnic Identity Development in Third Culture Kids in the United States" (2018). National Cross-Cultural Counseling and Education Conference for Research, Action, and Change. 1.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/ccec/2018/2018/1
Ethnic Identity Development in Third Culture Kids in the United States
The United States has a growing community of immigrants, refugees, and asylees. Although these individuals face challenges with adjustment, their children experience a different set of obstacles as third culture kids (TCKs). This presentation addresses the experience and identity development of these children who often feel they do not have full ownership in any culture.
Description
According to the 2015 U.S. Census data (Bureau, n.d.), the number of foreign born individuals in the United States was estimated to be 41,717,420, or approximately 13 percent of the U.S. population. These immigrants come with diverse backgrounds, cultural traditions, and values which are ingrained into their existence because of their upbringing. In 2016, the number of immigrants in the United States and their U.S.-born children was approximately 84.3 million individuals, or 27 percent of the nation’s population (“Frequently Requested Statistics on Immigrants and Immigration in the United States,” 2017). This means that the U.S.-born children of immigrants slightly outnumber the number of first-generation immigrants in the United States, yet some individuals assume these children immediately become Americanized because they are living in the U.S. and attending an American public school. This assumption is far from reality.
The children of these foreign-born individuals blend their parents’ culture (home culture) and their host culture, which creates a third culture. This third culture may differ slightly, but it is shared with other third culture kids who have experienced a similar development (Moore & Barker, 2012). Even as adults, these individuals become Adult third culture kids (ATCKs) because their roots and upbringing continue to affect their relationships, understanding, and current cultural identification (“TCKWorld: The Official Home of Third Culture Kids (TCKs),” n.d.).
This presentation will focus on the commonalities that third culture kids have in their identity development. Subcategories of third culture kids and the ways in which these children merge their cultures will be discussed in the presentation. The developmental differences between third culture kids and mono-culture children will be explored in relation to the challenges and strengths they ultimately face as a result of their experience.