1. Acculturationand Children: The Third Culture Kid
By: Yukei Ng, M.Ed.
Relocating to a new country is a stressful yet exciting life event. More and more
families are living outside their home countries due to a variety of personal and
professional reasons. Although there are considerable benefits to adopting
multiculturalism in today’s global society, achieving cultural integration and
developing a healthy sense of cultural identity is no easy task. This is especially true
for children and adolescents who experience this major change during their
developmental years.
The Third Culture Kid
Researchers define the third culture kid (TCK) as someone who spent an extended
period of their childhood in a culture that is different from their parents’.
Within the limited research that has been conducted about this population, many
TCKs are found to be at risk of specific psychological concerns related to identity
and social development. The experience of establishing cultural membership during
developmental years can have profound implications on the forming of identity and
self-esteem. Furthermore, the complications of relocating between countries at a
young age may have an affect on TCKs’ forming and maintaining of interpersonal
relationships. This growing experience has been matched only with limited
attention to the unique counselling needs of this population.
Cultural identity is a crucial symbol in consolidating one’s sense of self. Our cultural
identity incorporates the values, beliefs, attitudes and ideas of the group with which
we identify with. The forming of cultural identity is obstructed when an individual
moves away from their home country at a young age.
Some common themes that arise in qualitative research about the struggles of TCKs
include cultural disconnection with parents, unresolved feelings of loss of
interpersonal relationships, a challenged sense of belonging, tendency to inhibit the
expression of emotions and difficulty maintaining long-term relationships.
Multicultural Awareness
This particular population is of interest to me because I have had such experiences
growing up. I moved from Hong Kong to Toronto with my family at a very young
age. During middle school, my second major transition took place when our family
relocated back to Hong Kong. Since then, I have travelled alone back and forth, living
parts of my life in either country. Through my personal experiences, I realized that
many TCKs are faced with insufficient resources to manage grief or loss, develop
healthy relational skills and adapt to new stages and roles.

2. Fortunately, my valuable experiences and academic training allowed me to
recognize and appreciate the hardships but also the strengths that TCKs have as a
result of their distinctive upbringing. In my own practice, I am more self-aware and
sensitive to assist my culturally diverse clients in fostering healthy relational
connection and sense of self.
In light of the high population of immigrants in Toronto, I believe that TCKs have
great potential to flourish in today’s society. I aim to support my clients by being
humble, sensitive, open and respectful to each individual’s cultural backgrounds.
Understanding that clients are the experts of their own experiences, I strive to
provide a safe and supportive platform for my clients to actively participate in the
therapy process.
Of course, concerns about identity and interpersonal well-being are not exclusive to
TCKs. Regardless of cultural background, I ensure that each of my clients feel valued
and unique in their own ways.
Although the process of finding one’s identity can be difficult at times, an empathetic
and accepting therapeutic relationship may validate an individual’s experience, help
gain new insight about the self, permit relational skill building and improve social
functioning. Through counselling, I aim to support children and adolescents in
addressing these difficult issues, such that they may fully embrace their strengths
and develop to their full potential.