Sage Journals: Discover world-class research

Abstract

In a recent study, 50 mission boards were contacted and over 300 first-term missionary appointees were asked to participate in research on the predictive validity of the Cross-Cultural Adaptability Inventory. The research took place in two phases: one before the missionaries left for their respective fields and the second after approximately six months on the field. Fifty missionaries agreed to participate in the study and met the qualifications for doing so. By the end of the second phase of the research, however, only 14 missionaries had completed the study with no missing inventories. This research note highlights both the importance of doing research among missionaries and the difficulties encountered in the process.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Allen

(1986). Why do they leave? Reflections on attrition. Evangelical Missions Quarterly, 22, 118–129.

Bailey

H. L.

, & Jackson

H. C.

(1965). A study of missionary motivation, training, and withdrawal 1953–1962. New York: Missionary Research Library.

Bolyanatz

A. H.

(1985). How we reduced those early cultural surprises. Evangelical Missions Quarterly, 21, 266–273.

Brewster

E. T.

, & Brewster

E. S.

(1981). Bonding and the missionary task: Establishing a sense of belonging. In Winter

, & Hawthorne

(Eds.), Perspectives on the World Christian Movement: A reader (pp. 452–464). Pasadena, CA: William Carey Library.

Britt

W. G.

III (1983). Pretraining variables in the prediction of missionary success overseas. Journal of Psychology and Theology, 11, 203–212.

Crawford

(1989). Missionary selection: An integrative aspect of psychology and theology. Unpublished manuscript, Wheaton College Graduate School, Wheaton, IL.

Dye

S. F.

(1974). Decreasing fatigue and illness in field-work. Missiology: An International Review, 2, 79–109.

Dye

T. W.

(1974). Stress-producing factors in cultural adjustment. Missiology: An International Review, 2, 61–77.

Gibbs

T. A.

(1985). Finding a sense of belonging in your new place. Evangelical Missions Quarterly, 21, 266–273.

10.

Gish

(1983). Sources of missionary stress. Journal of Psychology and Theology, 11, 238–242.

11.

Herndon

(1982, September). Drumming out different drummers. Eternity, 33, 28–30.

12.

Kelly

, & Meyers

(n.d.). Cross-Cultural Adaptability Inventory. Minneapolis, MN: NCS Assessments.

13.

Kliewer

(1983). Missionary program evaluation: An assessment strategy. Journal of Psychology and Christianity 2(4), 38–44.

14.

Lindquist

S. E.

(1983). A rationale for psychological assessment of missionary candidates. Journal of Psychology and Christianity, 2(4), 10–14.

15.

Mumper

S. E.

(1987, Nov. 6). Does attrition threaten the future of missions? Christianity Today, 31, 53–55.

16.

Sanford

(1994). Graveyard of missions requires new approaches. Evangelical Missions Quarterly, 30, 154–160.

17.

Reasoner

R. M.

(1988). An investigation of the relationship between personality measures and the attrition rate of Southern Baptist missionaries. Dissertation Abstracts International, 49(09), 4056B–4057B. (University Microfilms No. 88–25844)

18.

Vander Pol

H. M.

(1994). Missionary selection, stress, and functioning: A review of the literature. Unpublished doctoral paper, Biola University, La Mirada, CA.

19.

Williams

(1983). Assessment of cross-cultural adjustability in missionary candidates: Theoretical, biblical, and practical perspectives. Journal of Psychology and Christianity, 2(4), 18–24.

20.

World Evangelical Fellowship. (1996). Reducing Missionary Attrition Project consultation. Easney, Ware, England: All Nations Christian College.

The importance and the Difficulty of Doing Research with a Missionary Population

Abstract

Get full access to this article

References