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Missionary Kids (MKs) are included in a broader population defined as Third Culture Kids (TCKs), children who are raised outside of their parents’ home cultures (Pollock & Van Reken, 2001). This upbringing affords positive opportunities to experience diverse cultures but may also contribute to identity struggles and feelings of cultural isolation (Gillies, 1998; Hill, 2006; Pollock, 1989). To facilitate successful transitions from living overseas to the US, several reentry programs have been developed, but their effectiveness has not been examined. In this exploratory study the efficacy of a 13-day MK Transitions Seminar was measured. Participants’ pre and post-test scores on the Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale-21 and the Psychological General Well-Being Index indicated a significant reduction in levels of depression, anxiety, and stress, as well as significant improvement in overall psychological well-being. The findings and limitations of this study and implications for future studies are discussed.

Missionary Kids (MKs) are included in a broader population known as Third Culture Kids, children who are raised outside of their parents' home country. This cross-cultural upbringing provides many benefits but also presents challenges upon repatriation to the passport country. This study utilized a quasi-experimental, pretest-posttest design to examine the impact of MK reentry programs on psychological well-being. Participants included 186 MKs who had lived in 86 countries and represented 68 missionary sending agencies. MANOVA results indicated significant reductions in depression, anxiety, and stress levels following program attendance. Differences were noted by gender, with females reporting significantly lower levels of psychological well-being than males. Implications for caregivers and recommendations for further research are discussed.

This article explores process‐experiential/emotion‐focused therapy (PE‐EFT) as a technique for counseling third culture kids (TCKs) who experience identity conflict and unresolved grief. The authors suggest the PE‐EFT tasks of empathic exploration, meaning protest, empty‐chair technique, and 2‐chair dialogue to facilitate TCKs' identity integration and resolution of grief.

Cross-cultural workers are often exposed to a host of environmental, interpersonal, and physical stressors. This exposure may lead to negative mental health outcomes such as PTSD, depression, anxiety, or sub-clinical psychological distress. This study sought to investigate risk and resilience factors, both broadly and in-depth, among a group of faith-based cross-cultural workers. An adapted Deployment Risk and Resilience Inventory, 2nd edition (DRRI-2) along with the Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale (CD–RISC) were administered to N=268 missionaries and faith-based humanitarian aid workers. A comprehensive correlational analysis revealed significant relationships to risk and resilience in the areas of pre-field preparation, negative family events while on the field, and pre-field negative events. Implications for member care are discussed.

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