The Japanese returnee experience: Factors that affect reentry

Although the number of Japanese children raised overseas has been increasing and many steps have been taken to ease reentry for them, the consequences of these efforts are not clear. Japanese parents who sojourn abroad with their children are still left to a trial and error approach when it comes to their children's education and socialization. This study examined what factors predict the various social and psychological outcomes of the "returnee experience." Based on previous work, 27 dependent variables were employed to assess the types of social and psychological consequences experienced by returnees; they were reduced to nine factors by factor analysis. Also, 31 variables that previous literature suggested influenced these experiences were measured; factor analysis reduced them to 10 factors. A backward multiple regression was then conducted on each of the nine dependent factors. Results showed that communication with parents, recency of return and special provisions were key to capturing positive outcomes.