Due to their mobile lifestyle Third Culture Kids face many challenges not faced by their domestic peers. Specifically, they are more likely to grieve for what they have left behind after their latest move across global boundaries and this may impact their transition experience. Schools are already considering how they support Third Culture Kids to ensure their transition experience is a positive one and managing associated grief is a significant component of the experience that needs to be given meaningful attention. As blogs and parental support groups discussing Third Culture Kids’ grief are starting to become more prevalent, international schools also need to consider and include strategies for addressing Third Culture Kids’ grief in their internal transition programs. This paper comes from a larger, ongoing doctoral research project focusing on the lived experience of a sample of English-speaking Third Culture Kids. By talking directly to the impacted Third Culture Kids and hearing their distinctive perspective, the interpretative phenomenological analysis research will examine their narratives and try to make sense of their experience through the lens of a grief model. As part of the study, this investigation will examine the current research surrounding several existing grief models, including the Kübler-Ross model, and will discuss how the subject of grief potentially impacts Third Culture Kids and school transition programs. The paper concludes with a suggested, alternative grief model, designed exclusively to address the specific issues encountered by Third Culture Kids as they transition into a new school.

Authors:
Tracy Trethewy, CQUniversity, Australia
Michelle Vanderburg, CQUniversity, Australia

About the Presenter(s)
Ms Tracy Trethewy is a University Doctoral Student at CQUniversity in Australia

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