An Exploration on the Attachment, Acculturation, and Psychosocial Adjustment of Chinese International Students in Japan

In this study, we selected Chinese students (N = 277) studying in Japan as research participants to examine the relation among their attachment, acculturation, and psychosocial adjustment. The study’s first finding revealed that Chinese students studying in Japan had a better adjustment outcome than those in America in terms of sociocultural adjustment but not psychological adjustment. The second set of findings from the results of hierarchical multiple regression analyses showed that psychological distress and sociocultural adjustment could be predicted by attachment anxiety and avoidance. Third, we found a positive correlation between acculturation to the host culture and sociocultural adjustment difficulties. Fourth, we did not find a correlation between acculturation to the host culture and attachment anxiety and avoidance. We offer a discussion on the findings and limitations in light of the unique Japanese sociocultural context.

Career Counseling for International Students

International students are a group with diverse career needs and concerns. The challenges international students face (e.g., psychological and sociocultural adjustment issues, language barriers, sense of loss, financial problems, getting used to a new educational system) when they come to study in the United States, as well as their expectations of coming to a new country, may significantly influence their career needs and decision-making processes. In this chapter, the authors suggest social cognitive career theory (SCCT) as a framework for working with the undergraduate and graduate international student population by emphasizing intervention strategies and making specific recommendations.

The Role of Two Extracurricular Programs in International Students' Informal Learning Experiences in Atlantic Canada

This chapter is composed with a strong empirical base on international students' experiences at Canadian higher education institutions. It focuses on international students' sociocultural adjustment, development in intercultural awareness and professional skills, and integration within the community. A qualitative methodology has been applied in the study of 10 international student participants from two extracurricular programs in Halifax, the city with the most higher education institutions in Atlantic Canada. The author holds a unique perspective on this subject for her triple identity as a former international student, program organizer, and practitioner in international education for over 10 years.

Self-initiated expatriate adjustment: South Korean workers in Vietnam

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to identify how young South Korean self-initiated expatriates (SIEs) have adjusted to their work and to verify the role of workplace learning activities as work adjustment processes in the relationship between work adjustment resources and outcomes.Design/methodology/approachThe study adopted a mixed-method approach, beginning with a qualitative study, followed by a quantitative study.FindingsThe main findings of the qualitative study indicated two types of SIE personal characteristics (ability to embrace cultural differences and entrepreneurship), their participation in training programs and that a supportive work environment which facilitates their work adjustment. Workplace learning, which led to role clarification within their organizations, is also critical for adjustment. Based on these findings, the quantitative research study examined the effects of personal and contextual factors on workplace learning and adjustment (n = 120). The quantitative part of the study found cultural intelligence (CQ), entrepreneurship, training programs and supportive environments were positively related to sociocultural adjustment through the work adjustment process.Research limitations/implicationsAs work adjustment is an important predictor of increased sociocultural adjustment among SIEs, organizations should build learning-supportive climates to promote workplace learning and seek people with appropriate characteristics for expatriation. Further studies should expand participant sample sizes to represent a wider population of SIEs.Originality/valueExtant literature on SIEs mainly explored their performance and management. This study explores their adjustment processes through the perspective of workplace learning.

International Students’ Cross-Cultural Adjustment: Social Selection or Social Influence?

International education provides students with an opportunity to develop new social networks while they fit in to the new culture. In a three-wave longitudinal study, we investigated how social networks and psychological adjustment coevolve within a group of international students enrolled in a coursework degree at the tertiary level. Using the Stochastic Actor-Oriented Model (SAOM), we identified the occurrences of social selection based on the levels of psychological and sociocultural adjustment. More specifically, students tended to deselect classmates who were dissimilar in their level of psychological adjustment and to befriend those who differed in their levels of sociocultural adjustment. In contrast, little evidence was found to suggest that features of social networks influenced students’ adjustment. Potential applications of this new method to future acculturation research are suggested.

The Predicting Effects of Self-Efficacy, Self-Esteem and Prior Travel Experience on Sociocultural Adaptation Among International Students

Personal and situational factors contribute to international students’ sociocultural adjustment in a host society. Thus this study attempts to determine the roles of self-efficacy, self-esteem, and previous travel experience on sociocultural adjustment. The sample for this study constituted 328 undergraduate and postgraduate international students, studying in three Chinese universities. Participants completed a set of tests measuring their sociocultural adjustment, self-efficacy and self-esteem, as well as answered demographic questions. Hierarchical multiple regression and a PROCESS macro were used to analyze the data. Results revealed that prior travel experience, self-efficacy, and self-esteem significantly predicted sociocultural adaptation. In particular, self-esteem partially mediated the relationship between self-efficacy and sociocultural adaptation. Limitations and future study directions and implications for the findings are discussed.

The Role of Emotional Intelligence and Sociocultural Adjustment on Migrants’ Self-reported Mental Well-Being in Spain: A 14 Month Follow-Up Study

The analysis of mental and psychological health is a relevant public issue in modern societies. Migration is a process that may have a lasting impact on a person’s mental well-being. In this study, perceived health, emotional intelligence, sociocultural adjustment and the participants’ perceived general situation, not only economical, were analyzed to attest their impact on psychological distress as a measure of mental well-being. Sixty-three migrants from Romania and Ecuador were contacted twice during a 14 month period in a middle-sized Spanish city. Attrition analyses show no significant differences in perceived psychological distress between those who participated only one time or who participated in both waves. Less psychological distress is related to less attention to one’s feelings and higher mood repair in both data waves. Stronger behavioral adjustment is also linked to less distress. Less distress in time 1 led to better perceived health, sociocultural adjustment and a perception of a better general situation in Spain in comparison to their home country in time 2. In general, more attention to negative feelings triggered more perceived psychological distress, whereas mood repair elicited less psychological distress, in time 2. The relevance of understanding the impact of emotional intelligence to health promotion programs with migrants is discussed.