Third Culture Kids Readjusting to Home Culture During Military Service: The Interaction Effect of Acculturation Strategy and Social Connectedness

My name is PARK Ji In. I am an undergraduate at the City University of Hong Kong, working with my supervisor, Professor CHEN Hui Fang in the Department of Social and Behavioural Sciences. I would like to invite you to take part in my research study, which concerns the effect of acculturation strategy and social connectedness on sociocultural adjustment of Third Culture Kids (hereafter TCKs), particularly in the context of male Korean Adult TCKs readjusting to Korean culture during military service. This project has been approved by the Research Ethics Review Committee of the Department of Social and Behavioural Sciences.

In this study, you will be asked to answer the 55-item online survey questionnaire. It will take about 5 to 10 minutes to complete the survey. The questionnaire consists of a demographic sheet and four scales: Asian American Multidimensional Acculturation Scale (AAMAS), Social Connectedness in Mainstream Society (SCMN) and Ethnic Community (SCETH) Scales, and the Revised Sociocultural Adaptation Scale (SCAS-R). Through the questionnaire, I will collect data about your experience of readjustment to Korean society upon serving in the military.

The study typically takes 10 to 15 minutes in total. The study consists of five sections of questions, and each section will take about 2 to 4 minutes to answer.

You may decide to stop being a part of the research study at any time without explanation. You have the right to ask that any data you have supplied to that point be withdrawn/destroyed.

You have the right to omit or refuse to answer or respond to any question that is asked of you without penalty.

You have the right to have your questions about the procedures answered (unless answering these questions would interfere with the study’s outcome). If you have any questions as a result of reading this information sheet, you should ask the researcher before the study begins.

There are no known benefits or risks for you in this study. It is hoped that the research will contribute to a body of knowledge regarding readjustment of TCKs back in Korea, especially male TCKs in their time of military service. This research will be potentially helpful for future TCKs’ readjustment to Korean culture, particularly male TCKs’ readjustment during military service. By participating in this study, you are also contributing to the counsellors in Korea as they help Adults TCKs in need.

Your participation in this study is voluntary. You will receive free coffee coupon upon drawing lots in return for your participation.

Your data will be kept confidential, and I will not release your data without your consent unless as required by law.

Your name will remain anonymous throughout the entire research process. I plan to use a number system allowing me to keep the data organized without revealing your identity. Your data will be stored in an external hard drive. Your signed consent form will be stored in an external hard drive separate from the data. Both external hard drives will be stored in a locked cabinet. Your data and the signed consent will not be linked to ensure anonymity.

Only my supervisor and I will be able to access the data. The data will be destroyed after an application retention period (i.e., three years).

However, I will present your result in my project proposal in fulfilling partial requirements of my course. In any component of the project and publication of the material, your name and other personally identifiable information will not be used.

If you have any questions about this research, please feel free to contact me. You can reach me, PARK Ji In, at jipark4-c@my.cityu.edu.hk, or you can reach Dr. CHEN Hui Fang at 34422972 or hfchen@cityu.edu.hk.

If you agree to take part in the research, please print a copy of this page to keep for future reference, then click on the “Next” button below.