WELLNESS OF TRANSCULTURAL INDIVIDUALS
Open Access
- Author:
- McDonald, Katharine Elizabeth
- Graduate Program:
- Counselor Education
- Degree:
- Doctor of Philosophy
- Document Type:
- Dissertation
- Date of Defense:
- August 31, 2009
- Committee Members:
- Jolynn Carney, Dissertation Advisor/Co-Advisor
Jolynn Carney, Committee Chair/Co-Chair
Richard Hazler, Committee Member
Elizabeth A Mellin, Committee Member
Jonna Marie Kulikowich, Committee Member - Keywords:
- Mental Health
International
Wellness
Third Culture Kids
Transcultural
Globalization
5F-WEL - Abstract:
- This study presents a general demographic profile and insight into the wellness of a large sample of transculturals (n=289), a first in the field of counseling. Transculturals were found to have scored significantly higher than normative data on all wellness variables measured. These results are inconsistent with the limited existing research. The results of this study also suggest that neither the development status of the home country, nor the number of host countries lived in affects wellness, with the exception of the Essential Self. Transcultural participants who lived in one or two countries scored higher on the Essential Subscale than those who lived in three or more. It is hoped that this study will encourage other Counselor Educators to conduct research with this population, as the world is becoming more globalized and transculturals are becoming an increasingly key population who impacts global transactions. As evidenced by this study, transculturals appear to be skillfully navigating globalization with regard to wellness. We can look to transcultural individuals to learn how to prepare others for global mobility with regard to establishment and maintenance of wellness. The general population would benefit from researchers being able to identify the assets /resources/advantages that facilitate wellness in transculturals.