Monday 30th May 2022
Have you spent significant periods of your formative years in a country other than your passport country, or a different culture to your parents? If the answer is yes to either of these then the University of Edinburgh wants to hear from you…
The University of Edinburgh are working in partnership with ‘Forces Children Scotland’ and the ‘Council of International Schools’ on a study that will explore how Third Culture Kids use the Internet and social media.
For the study, they are inviting Third Culture Kids (aged 12-18 years), parents, teachers, and school counsellors to take part in their innovative project that explores “Third Culture Kids’ Digital Environments and Mental Health”. The term “Third Culture Kids” (TCKs) describes children who have spent significant periods of their formative years in a country other than their passport country, or a different culture than their parents. It often refers to children whose parents are in global employment, such as members of the armed forces, missionaries, and intergovernmental employees. TCKs tend to have unstable in-person networks with often only their parents as a constant in their lives. To maintain a sense of belonging and connectivity with their peers who share similar lived experiences, TCKs largely rely on digital technologies, including social media.
The project aims to explore how TCKs use the Internet, including social media, with a particular focus on:
- How do TCKs engage and negotiate the interplay between online and in-person support networks?
- How do TCKs perceive the risks and opportunities of using digital technology?
- How do TCKs experience the relationship between their use of digital technologies and their mental health?
- What training do families and professionals need to support TCKs’ safe use of digital technologies and positive mental health?
This research will be conducted world-wide between May and August 2022. The project will provide the basis for developing effective safety measures for TCKs using the internet.
To find out more or to share your experience please send an email to, [email protected]
