Contributing Factors in the Successful Repatriation of Long-Term Adult Christian Missionaries

Abstract

Literature indicates that mental health, time spent on mission, and reverse culture shock are all factors in Christian missionaries successful repatriation. The present study explored the effect of time since return, social support, and reverse culture shock on levels of depression, anxiety, and stress in long-term adult Christian missionaries during the repatriation process. I all, 31 Christian missionaries completed self-report measures of social support, reverse culture shock, depression, anxiety, and stress. Results showed that the longer an individual had been back in their passport country significantly correlated with lower levels of depression. In addition, higher levels of reverse culture shock correlated with higher levels of depression and stress. Although social support did not moderate the relationship between reentry shock and well-being, in open-ended questions, respondents indicated how valuable social support was to them in the repatriation process. Implications for sending agencies and clinicians working with repatriating adult Christian missionaries are discussed.