Grief as an integral part of the third culture kid transition experience: A position paper

Arising from increasing globalization, growing numbers of families may find themselves relocating internationally because of work, while children in these families, often referred to as Third Culture Kids, may find themselves grieving for family, friends or possessions left behind. Research suggests that what Doka (2002) describes as disenfranchised grief may influence how such students perceive their experience with school transition programs. This article is part of a larger, ongoing study on Third Culture Kids and their experience with transition programs. Schools are increasingly recognising that supporting Third Culture Kids is essential to ensuring student transitions are successful, while continuing to develop strategies to guarantee the positivity of the student transition experience. International schools also need to consider and include strategies for specifically addressing disenfranchised grief in the Third Culture Kid transition programs. Academic research, as opposed to anecdotal evidence, is needed to better understand how Third Culture Kids experience grief during their transition and how they can best be supported by the school. This article examines the current research around several existing grief models, and how they potentially relate to Third Culture Kids and transition programs. The article is a position paper that presents a call for further research relating to Third Culture Kids through the theoretical lens of grief and loss, in order to provide education professionals with resources that can best support Third Culture Kids on their educational journey.