Religious Orientation and Coping in Third Culture Kids

Author

Kayla ZerbeFollow

Date of Award

Spring 2023

Document Type

Open Access Thesis

Department

Psychology, Criminal Justice and Sociology

First Advisor

Valerie Lemmon

Abstract

This study examines the correlation between religious orientation and religious coping in Third Culture Kids (TCKs). Young adult TCKs often struggle with their identity, mental health, and cultural adjustment during the reentry process. Despite the unique struggles TCKs experience, very little research has been done on this population. Religion may play a role in the reentry process as support, challenge, or way of coping. The present study examines religion in TCKs through the lens of motivation, using the Religious Orientation Scale (ROS), which measures intrinsic and extrinsic religious orientation, and the Brief RCOPE, which measures positive and negative religious coping. Intrinsic religious orientation was found to be positively correlated with positive religious coping, and negatively correlated with negative coping. Extrinsic religious orientation was not found to be significantly correlated to negative or positive religious coping.

IRB: 2022-016

Comments

Created in: PSYC 497 and PSYC 498

Recommended Citation

Zerbe, Kayla, "Religious Orientation and Coping in Third Culture Kids" (2023). Honors Projects and Presentations: Undergraduate. 436.
https://mosaic.messiah.edu/honors/436