Maria A. Zakoula, King's College London, London, UK
Maria Gudbrandsen, Roehampton University, London. UK
Mark J. Kennedy, King's College London, London, UK
With expatriate numbers around the globe steadily increasing, and predicted to continue to do so, a large amount of literature has focused on expatriation and its effects on individuals. Expatriates relocate from their native country to another for professional reasons, usually willingly, and with no foreseen permanence in the host location. These moves tend to be frequent and are generally considered advantageous with regards to compensation, professional advancement and even the life experiences gained. It is not all joy and cheer however: studies also raise concerns on the toll that repeated relocations may have on adult expatriates, in the form of increased stress, adjustment issues and overall mental health.
Considering that half of the expatriate population comprises of families, it is common for children to accompany their parents during these transitions- whether they want to or not. As a result, expatriate children and adolescents are also exposed to these frequent, major life changes, during an age that is critical for their cognitive, emotional and social development. In fact, the element of transition becomes a key component of expatriate children's life, as they are called to constantly transition in and out of different cultures without a chance to fully integrate or stabilize in any of them. Compared to the adult, working expatriates, these young populations are more likely to feel the consequences from disruption in schooling, language differences and constantly shifting peer groups. It is therefore imperative to consider the psychological impact of such experiences on expatriate youths.
Our analysis indicates that mental health outcomes, as a result of expatriation for children and adolescents, are complex and even somewhat contrasting. On the one hand, there are indications of increased stress, risks of clinical mental health conditions and problems with emotional stability. A lot of these issues may have serious implications if we consider challenges in diagnosis and treatment in host counties where mental health services are not easily accessible, or even available.
On the other hand, because of their varied experiences, many children and adolescent expatriates develop increased empathy, open-mindedness, and the mental flexibility to easily adapt and switch between different types of thoughts, situations and perspectives. Interestingly, these are attributes related to positive mental health outcomes and wellbeing.
Based on these findings, exploring how these young populations and their psychology are further impacted by this mosaic of relocations, cultures and lifestyles warrants the attention of additional interdisciplinary research.
To read more about the findings on the psychological impact of expatriation on young populations, as well as recommendations for policies and future research on the topic, access the full article at the Journal of Global Mobility publication:
Zakoula MA, Gudbrandsen M, Kennedy M (2025), "Psychological impact of expatriation experiences on child and adolescent mental health: a narrative synthesis".
Journal of Global Mobility, Vol. 13 No. 3 pp. 486–504, doi:
https://doi.org/10.1108/JGM-07-2024-0071 Professor Jan Selmer, Ph.D.