Psychosocial Adaptation among Japanese Sojourners Living Abroad

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K20912
• Project/Area Number (Other): 18H05715 (2018)
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund (2019); Single-year Grants (2018)
• Review Section: 0108:Sociology and related fields
• Research Institution: Kyoto University
• Principal Investigator: Ando Sachi 京都大学, 教育学研究科, 講師 (60820347)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-08-24 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 海外長期滞在 / 心理社会的適応 / 地域共生社会 / 地域福祉

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study shows that expatriate families/individuals are more likely to experience psychosocial adaptation by living in the host society while preparing life after returning home. Long-term stays mean temporarily leaving one's home country, hoping that the expatriates would return to their original place smoothly after the sojourn. Thus, they seem to prioritize restructuring their lives in the host society as if they were in Japan. The expatriates with advanced expertise tend to experience extra challenges in psychosocial adaptation through losing their roles and experiences that they had overseas, as well as being rejected by members of the society, when returning to their home country.

Free Research Field

社会福祉

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

50年後の日本社会は、約1割が外国ルーツの人々になることが予測されている。地域には、多様な背景を持つ人々が暮らすようになる。今後、地域における共生社会構築に向けた取組みの検討を進めていく必要がある。日本社会に流入・定着する移民や長期滞在家庭・者を考えるためには、海外に滞在する日本人がどのように心理社会的適応の過程をたどるかをまず理解することが有効である。本研究で示唆された長期滞在家庭・者がもつ多様な視点や経験は、今後の多様化する日本社会を考えるうえでも有効である。