The cross-cultural adaptation of Chinese international students: an empirical study on sequential-mediated effects

Using convenience sampling and snowball sampling methods, data from 432 Chinese international students in 10 countries, including the United Kingdom, South Korea, and the United States, were collected to construct a multivariate sequential-mediated mixed model for cross-cultural adaptation. SPSS 23.0 and AMOS 23.0 were employed for aggregated validity, discriminant validity, and sequential-mediated effects analysis. The study found that: Cultural adaptation stress is negatively correlated with positive coping and positively correlated with negative coping, with negative coping having a significant negative impact during the cross-cultural adaptation process. Positive coping is positively correlated with sports participation, while negative coping is negatively correlated with sports participation. Sports participation is positively associated with in-group identification and negatively associated with out-group bias. In-group identification has a positive impact on cross-cultural adaptation, whereas out-group bias cannot effectively predict cross-cultural adaptation.

Loneliness and trust issues reshape mental stress of expatriates during early COVID-19: a structural equation modelling approach

OBJECTIVES

To explore relationship among perceived stress regarding loneliness, interpersonal trust and institutional trust of expatriates during the early COVID-19 period (from 30^th March to 30^th May 2020).

METHODS

Data from  21,439 expatriates were extracted from COVIDiSTRESS global survey. The outcome variable was perceived stress. The explanatory variables were age, perceived loneliness, trust (interpersonal and institutional). Pairwise correlation, and structural equation modelling were used to determine relationship among outcome and explanatory variables.

RESULTS

The majority of the expatriates were female (73.85%), married (60.20%), had college degree (47.76%), and employed (48.72%). Over 63% of the total expatriates reported that the COVID-19 pandemic changed their lives. The average age of the respondents was 40.4 years (± 13.7), and the average score of perceived stress, loneliness, interpersonal and institutional trust were 25.5, 7.4, 14.2 and 40.4, respectively. We found a moderate correlation of perceived stress with age, perceived loneliness, interpersonal trust and institutional trust (p < 0.001). They were also found moderately related to each other. Structural equation modelling evaluated that a lack of trust can cause loneliness among expatriates, which later lead to perceived stress. Interpersonal trust was more likely to be associated with stress than institutional trust, whereas perceived loneliness mediated between both trusts and perceived stress.

CONCLUSION

Perceived stress can be reduced through trusting others and alleviating the loneliness. Making strong linkage among migrants as well as between migrants and local community is important to ensure proper mental wellbeing of expatriates.

Language and communication in international students' adaptation: a bibliometric and content analysis review

This article systematically reviews the literature (313 articles) on language and communication in international students' cross-cultural adaptation in institutions of higher education for 1994-2021. We used bibliometric analysis to identify the most impactful journals and articles, and the intellectual structure of the field. We used content analysis to synthesize the results within each research stream and suggest future research directions. We established two major research streams: second-language proficiency and interactions in the host country. We found inconclusive results about the role of communication with co-nationals in students' adaptation, which contradicts the major adaptation theories. New contextualized research and the use of other theories could help explain the contradictory results and develop the existing theories. Our review suggests the need to theoretically refine the interrelationships between the interactional variables and different adaptation domains. Moreover, to create a better fit between the empirical data and the adaptation models, research should test the mediating effects of second-language proficiency and the willingness to communicate with locals. Finally, research should focus on students in non-Anglophone countries and explore the effects of remote communication in online learning on students' adaptation. We document the intellectual structure of the research on the role of language and communication in international students' adaptation and suggest a future research agenda.

Revisiting the influence of cultural novelty and emotional stability on general adjustment of expatriates hosted in emerging economies

Purpose

The relationship between cultural novelty and cross-cultural adjustment of expatriates is often assumed to be negative and linear, while the empirical results for the relationship has been demonstrated by researchers as either negative, positive or absent.

Design/methodology/approach

The current research challenges the negative and linear assumption conceptually and empirically and tests a curvilinear relation between cultural novelty and general adjustment. The authors specifically propose and test a theoretical model whereby emotional stability moderates the curvilinear cultural novelty–general adjustment relationship such that the negative effect of cultural novelty on general adjustment is mitigated by emotional stability. Survey data are collected from expatriates recruited from two different host countries, India (N = 151) and China (N = 157).

Findings

The findings provide support for the curvilinear relationship between cultural novelty and general adjustment and the moderating effect of expatriates' emotional stability on this relationship.

Originality/value

This present study makes unique contributions to the expatriate management literature in at least two major ways: first, this study consolidates the otherwise contradictory findings and furthers the understanding on the nature of the effect of cultural novelty on expatriate adjustment. In addition, this research tests a cultural novelty–expatriate adjustment model using expatriate samples drawn from China and India, the two largest emerging markets that capture the demographic-profile changes pertaining to the newly emerging expatriation trends.

Educational stays abroad and the development of self-perceived grit: A longitudinal analysis in young adulthood

Grit can be viewed as a facet of conscientiousness consisting of the two sub-facets perseverance of effort and consistency of interest. Although ample research illustrates the importance of grit for educational attainment, little is known about its developmental trajectories. The goal of the present study was to examine the development of self-perceptions in the two grit facets during educational stays abroad in young adulthood. We measured grit in a sample of 179 German sojourners, who went abroad for some type of educational stay, immediately before the start of their stay abroad (T1), 3 months afterwards (T2), and 15 months afterwards (T3). We compared the developmental trajectories across T1 and T2 with a control group of 112 Germans staying at home during this period. Multivariate latent change score models showed an increase in perseverance of effort between T1 and T2 in the group of sojourners, which did not emerge in the control group and persisted throughout T3. Consistency of interest did not change between T1 and T2, but sojourners showed an increase in consistency of interest between T1 and T3. This change was positively predicted by the time sojourners had spent abroad. Although we found different developmental trajectories for perseverance of effort and consistency of interest, substantial correlated change between these facets indicated similar processes to account for change in both traits. We discuss implications for research on the development of grit as well as the role of educational stays abroad.

A motivational framework of acculturation

A key distinction in motivational processes is between motivations and the means for pursuing motivations. Despite being a motivated process, existing models of acculturation do not make this distinction, neither empirically nor theoretically. A motivational framework that is informed by theories of goal constructs to understand the process of acculturation is proposed. This model is tested in two distinct samples comprising immigrants from the former Soviet Union to Israel (N = 239) as well as immigrants from Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh to Britain (N = 236). Results revealed that the motivation to preserve one's heritage culture and the motivation to adopt one's host culture were each uniquely associated with the respective means for doing so. Furthermore, outcomes in acculturation were determined by the match between acculturation motivations and acculturation means. These findings demonstrate the theoretical and practical implications of analyzing the process of acculturation using a motivational framework.

Perception of cross-cultural adjustment by immigrant professionals from three ethnic groups in one host context

Ensuring that immigrant professionals experience cross-cultural adjustment positively is beneficial for both employers and host countries, as well as the immigrants themselves, yet has proven problematic in practice. This study utilises a series of longitudinal interviews to examine the personal narratives of three strategically selected sets of recently arrived professionals from the British Isles, China, and the former Soviet Union who are employed in New Zealand. Immersive research, employing Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), followed the participants over 1 year of their life, illuminating their struggles, wins, and contradictions, endeavouring to develop a deep understanding of what it feels like to be an immigrant professional in a new, often culturally unusual country. This study reports the discovery of divergent sets of characteristics influencing the cross-cultural adjustment perceptions of interview+ees from different ethnic groups within the same host country. It finds that ‘one size does not fit all’.

Changes in Turkish- and Resettler-origin Adolescents' Acculturation Profiles of Identification: A Three-year Longitudinal Study from Germany

Little is known on how ethnic minority adolescents develop acculturation profiles of identification (i.e., how they combine their ethnic and national identification, such as being high on both and thus rather "integrated" or high on ethnic and low on national and thus rather "separated"). In a first step, this 3-year longitudinal study classified Turkish (n = 344) and resettler-origin (n = 121) ethnic minority adolescents living in Germany (Mage = 14.2, SD = 1.54, 51.6% female) according to their levels of ethnic and national identification. Latent profile analyses identified four profiles (separated, integrated, medium-ethnic, low-ethnic) for the former and three profiles (separated, integrated, low-and-medium ethnic) for the latter group. Latent transition analyses revealed considerable instability of profile attributions over time. Integration declined among both groups and results provided no evidence that national group boundaries are more permeable for resettler-origin than for Turkish-origin adolescents. Additional analyses revealed that perceived ethnic discrimination affected the probability to be in a particular profile but did not moderate transition probabilities. Overall, results suggest that during early-to-mid adolescence it is increasingly difficult to uphold a dual identity.

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.

Moderating role of addiction to social media usage in managing cultural intelligence and cultural identity change

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate the adverse effects of addiction to social media usage on expatriates' cultural identity change in cross-cultural settings.

Design/methodology/approach

A questionnaire survey was conducted in two public universities in China. Among the questionnaires distributed, 333 useful responses were obtained from international students for data analysis.

Findings

Regression results show addiction to social media usage exerts adverse effects by negatively moderating the relationship between associations with locals and the three dimensions of cultural intelligence. Addiction to social media usage impairs expatriates from developing cultural intelligence from associations with locals, which in turn affects their cultural identity change.

Research limitations/implications

Research findings suggest that expatriates, administrators and educators should be highly aware of the adverse effects of addiction to social media usage in complex cross-cultural settings wherein expatriates are more dependent on information technology. The important role of cultural intelligence should also be highlighted for its bridging role in managing cultural identity change for acculturation purpose. No causal relationships between variables can be established considering the cross-sectional design of the research. Longitudinal or experimental design could be a promising methodology for future efforts.

Originality/value

The current research contributes to the knowledge on information management applied to cross-cultural settings. The present study combines an IT contingent view with cross-cultural study to explore the adverse effects of addiction to social media usage on the development of expatriates' cultural intelligence from associations with locals, thereby influencing cultural identity change. The research provides new perspectives to expand the nomological framework of cross-cultural studies by combining the enabling roles of information technology.

The relationship between intercultural abilities and cultural identity styles: A longitudinal cross-lagged analysis

Hybrid and alternating identity styles are dynamic strategies that members of immigrant and ethnic minority groups use to maintain multiple cultural identities. Although research shows that the two strategies predict different outcomes for cultural identity development and psychological well-being, less is known about their antecedents. The present study investigated the temporal relationship between intercultural abilities (i.e. intercultural effectiveness) and the activation of hybrid and alternating identity styles in a community sample of Filipino and Indian New Zealanders. Cross-lagged analysis indicated that intercultural abilities positively predicted the hybrid identity style and negatively predicted the alternating identity style. Cultural identity styles were not predictive of intercultural abilities over time. Multigroup analysis indicated equivalence of regression paths across ethnic groups. Findings suggest that intercultural abilities function as an antecedent of cultural identity styles.

'A melting pot of cultures' -challenges in social adaptation and interactions amongst international medical students

BACKGROUND

The internationalisation of higher level education and the profiles - nationalities, ethnicities and cultural identities - of students who migrate to undertake higher level education programmes in a different country are increasingly complex. This article explores the way in which cultural backgrounds impact the student's experiences of an international medical school, and how these experiences have the potential to inform the development and design of student support services for those students who are not coping well with the transition.

METHODS

Thirty one first year students were interviewed by sixteen second year students who were trained and supervised by an experienced researcher. Three focus group discussions were also held.

RESULTS

While many international students had lived in more than one country and region and spoke several languages, most reported difficulties in forming intercultural friendships, especially interactions outside of the academic setting. Some of the challenges faced were similar to what has been reported in the literature, such as difficulties with language and loss of established friendship networks. Other challenges to emerge in this study were the complex interrelatedness of the daily life challenges facing international students regarding the forming and importance of intercultural relations, which is impacted by gender, the presence of alcohol, languages spoken (in addition to English, which was the language used for medical education), and the dominance of the regional grouping the student belongs to.

CONCLUSION

The challenges of adaptation and intercultural relations are increasing in complexity and it is important for higher level institutions who enrol international students to understand the nature of the pressures these students experience, outside as well as within the academic environment, and to support them in managing these transitions.

Heritage Acculturation Is Associated With Contextual Factors at Four Different Levels of Proximity

What factors explain the extent to which members of cultural minorities maintain their heritage cultural engagement? Although this process, called heritage acculturation, has significant implications for adjustment, we know little about its antecedents. The present work sought to address two shortcomings of acculturation research: (a) the need to characterize antecedents of acculturation orientations and (b) the need to consider acculturation as a contextual phenomenon. Some studies have documented associations between acculturation and specific contextual variables (e.g., family socialization), but an important feature of this research was to examine the unique contribution of factors at multiple levels of proximity simultaneously. Specifically, this study considered intraindividual, home, social network, and neighborhood-level contextual correlates of heritage acculturation. The overarching hypothesis tested among multicultural university students in Canada ( n = 271) was that people whose life contexts are more strongly imbued with heritage cultural influences would report greater heritage acculturation. Results fully supported this hypothesis. Greater heritage language competence, “parental” living arrangements, a more extensive heritage social network, and living in an ethnically denser neighborhood were all related to greater heritage cultural maintenance. Further, only heritage network extensiveness was negatively related to mainstream cultural engagement—attesting to the cultural specificity of these associations. These results suggest that none of the four contextual levels considered here was sufficient on its own to understand participants’ heritage acculturation and that we need a holistic view of the person in her or his multiple contexts when studying acculturation.

Afrontamiento del estrés por aculturación: inmigrantes latinos en Chile

Las minorías migrantes afrontan el estrés aculturativo con respuestas conductuales y cognitivas. Las fuentes de estrés de aculturación incluyen la discriminación, las diferencias socioculturales, la añoranza del origen y la ruptura familiar. Se entrevistaron a 853 inmigrantes peruanos y colombianos en Chile (51% mujeres, y edad M = 33.19; DE = 9.54). Se aplicaron escalas de estrés de aculturación y formas de afrontamiento. La distancia y añoranza familiar fue la principal fuente de estrés siendo mayor entre los colombianos, quienes usan más la movilidad individual, la distracción y las comparaciones sociales, mientras los peruanos internalizan más el estigma del inmigrante. Las comparaciones intergrupales y temporales se relacionaron con menor estrés de aculturación. Se discute la importancia de las formas de afrontar el estrés en minorías migrantes.

Un modelo de procesamiento motivacional dual de las conductas de aculturación y resultados de la adaptación

La investigación en aculturación no ha prestado suficiente atención a las motivaciones subyacentes a los comportamientos de los inmigrantes, las cuales influyen en la adaptación a su nuevo país de residencia. Los autores sugieren que la motivación para la conservación cultural (MCC) y la motivación para la exploración cultural (MEC) inciden en los comportamientos de aculturación de los inmigrantes y que estos a su vez afectan su adaptación psicológica y sociocultural. La presente investigación explora un modelo de procesamiento dual basado en las relaciones entre las motivaciones propuestas, los comportamientos de aculturación en relación con personas autóctonas/etnicidad semejante y la adaptación sociocultural y psicológica, en una muestra de inmigrantes en Nueva Zelanda (N = 280; 64.6 % mujeres; Media = 39 años). Usando un modelo de ecuaciones estructurales, los resultados apoyan el modelo dual propuesto y muestran la capacidad predictiva de las distintas motivaciones. La MCC predijo la adaptación psicológica a través de la conexión con personas de etnicidad semejante, mientras la MEC y la conexión con personas autóctonas predijeron la adaptación sociocultural de forma directa. Se discuten las implicaciones de los resultados, así como la utilidad del modelo propuesto.

Conceptualizing the Dynamics between Bicultural Identification and Personal Social Networks

An adequate understanding of the acculturation processes affecting immigrants and their descendants involves ascertaining the dynamic interplay between the way these individuals manage their multiple (and sometimes conflictual) cultural value systems and identifications and possible changes in their social networks. To fill this gap, the present research examines how key acculturation variables (e.g., strength of ethnic/host cultural identifications, bicultural identity integration or BII) relate to the composition and structure of bicultural individuals' personal social networks. In Study 1, we relied on a generationally and culturally diverse community sample of 123 Latinos residing in the US. Participants nominated eight individuals (i.e., alters) from their habitual social networks and across two relational domains: friendships and colleagues. Results indicated that the interconnection of same ethnicity alters across different relationship domains is linked to cultural identifications, while the amount of coethnic and host individuals in the network is not. In particular, higher interconnection between Latino friends and colleagues was linked to lower levels of U.S.

IDENTIFICATION

Conversely, the interconnection of non-Latino friends and colleagues was associated with lower levels of Latino identification. This pattern of results suggests that the relational context for each type of cultural identification works in a subtractive and inverse manner. Further, time spent in the US was linked to both Latino and U.S. cultural identifications, but this relationship was moderated by the level of BII. Specifically, the association between time in the US and strength of both cultural identities was stronger for individuals reporting low levels of BII. Taking the findings from Study 1 as departure point, Study 2 used an agent-based model data simulation approach to explore the dynamic ways in which the content and the structure of an immigrant's social network might matter over time in predicting three possible identity patterns: coexisting cultural identifications, conflicting cultural identifications, and a mixture of the two. These simulations allowed us to detect network constellations, which lead to identification or disidentification with both cultures. We showed that distinct patterns of social relations do not lead to identity outcomes in a deterministic fashion, but that often many different outcomes are probable.

The Specificity Principle in Acculturation Science

The specificity principle in acculturation science asserts that specific setting conditions of specific people at specific times moderate specific domains in acculturation by specific processes. Our understanding of acculturation depends critically on what is studied where, in whom, how, and when. This article defines, explains, and illustrates the specificity principle in acculturation science. Research hypotheses about acculturation can be more adequately tested, inconsistencies and discrepancies in the acculturation literature can be satisfactorily resolved, acculturation interventions can be tailored to be more successful, and acculturation policies can be brought to new levels of effectiveness if the specificity principle that governs acculturation science is more widely recognized.

Expatriates' Ethnicity and their Effectiveness: "Similarity Attraction" or "Inverse Resonance"?

Studies of expatriate effectiveness have tended to restrict themselves to Westerners sojourning in non-Western countries or to non-Westerners studying in the West, thereby overlooking non-Western expatriates working in Third World countries. Reconstituting diverse principles from social comparison and identity theories, attribution research, the similarity-attraction literature, psychotherapy, psychody namics, and experimental social psychology, we predict that the relationship between (a) perceived ethnic similarity to host and (b) acceptance by that host may often differ considerably in Western versus non-Western contexts. While acceptance by Western hosts may be affected by "similarity attraction reactions in some developing nations may be influenced instead by "inverse resonance", wherein collectivist hosts are comparatively unreceptive to expatriates who are ethnically similar rather than dissimilar. We discuss the potential relevance of such inverse resonance to the predeparture training of expatriates and to their inter- cultural effectiveness in the field.

Acculturation and Adaptation Revisited

The research employed a new and recently developed instrument to examine the two dimensions (host and co-national identification) and four modes (integration, separation, marginalization, and assimilation) of acculturation and their relationship to sojourner adjustment. International aid workers in Nepal completed a questionnaire including the Acculturation Index and the assessments of psychological and sociocultural adjustment. Analyses revealed that strong co-national identification predicted enhanced psychological well-being, whereas strong host national identification was associated with better sociocultural adaptation. Acculturation styles were also related to adjustive outcomes. Sojourners who adopted an integrated style fared better psychologically than others, whereas those who assumed an assimilationist perspective experienced fewer social difficulties. The article highlights methodological issues pertaining to the measurement of acculturation and discusses the strengths and weaknesses of the use of categorical versus continuous data and mean comparisons versus correlational techniques in the analysis of the relationship among identification, acculturation, and sojourner adjustment.

Perceived Discrimination, Social Support Networks, and Psychological Well-being Among Three Immigrant Groups

The authors addressed the specific role of and contradictory results previously obtained regarding ethnic versus host support networks in influencing directly and/or buffering the impact of perceived discrimination on the well-being of immigrants. A nationwide adult probability sample ( N= 2,360) included Finnish repatriates and Russian and Estonian immigrants in Finland from Russia, Estonia, and other countries of the former Soviet Union. Perceived discrimination had a significant impact on psychological well-being. The results demonstrated the importance of distinguishing between available and activated social support. In the total sample, strong evidence was obtained for the direct and the buffering effect of host support networks on well-being. In addition, social support provided by ethnic networks abroad was generally beneficial for the psychological well-being of the immigrants. Under some conditions, ethnic support networks were also beneficial for psychological well-being.

Self-Construals, Coping, and Stress in Cross-Cultural Adaptation

This study examines differences in the independent and interdependent self-construals of American and East Asian students studying in the United States and the influence of these self-construals on coping and stress. Path analysis revealed that the importance of the independent self-construal was positively related to direct coping strategies, which predicted reduced levels of stress for the international students. Ratings of the importance of the interdependent self-construal were positively related to increased stress for the Asian students. The self-constuals and direct coping were the strongest predictors of stress for East Asian students; variables commonly identified in other research addressing cross-cultural adaptation (e.g., number of host country friends, relationships with conationals, language ability, and previous cross-cultural experience) did not significantly predict stress for the international students. The effects of the self-construals and coping were moderated by culture, however, and were not predictive of perceived stress for American students.

The Construction and Validation of a Social Support Measure for Sojourners

Research on stress, coping, and cross-cultural adaptation has been frequently hampered by the use of inadequate and inappropriate measures of sojourner social support. An attempt is made here to develop an instrument that assesses social support in an acculturation context and integrates generic conceptualizations of the construct with the unique circumstances of a sojourning population. The construction and validation of the Index of Sojourner Social Support (ISSS) Scale were based on three studies. Study 1 describes the process of item generation; Study 2 deals with the development and validation of the ISSS; and Study 3 presents a preliminary cross-cultural validation of the instrument. A cross-validation procedure was used for the validation of both the internal and external structures of the ISSS. On the whole, multiple-groups covariance structure analyses showed the ISSS to possess a stable two-factor internal structure (socioemotional support and instrumental support) and a logical external structure of nomological relationships to received social support, locus of control, sense of mastery, interpersonal trust, depression, and social desirability.

Acculturation and Psychological Well-Being among Immigrant Adolescents in Finland

This study investigated the effects of acculturation on the psychological well-being of immigrant adolescents. The respondents were 11 to 20 years old, originally from the former Soviet Union, Turkey, Somalia, and Vietnam, and now living in Finland (N = 588). To gain an understanding of the complexity and specificity of the relationship between acculturation and psychological well-being, a large range of existing psychological well-being scales measuring acculturative stress, behavioral problems, self-esteem, life satisfaction, and sense of mastery were used as dependent variables. Most indices of psychological well-being were clearly and negatively related to perceived discrimination, and some of them were also positively related to second-language proficiency. In addition, the adolescents’ experiences of parental support and adherence to traditional family-related values promoted their psychological well-being. However, the impact of this adherence was found to depend on both the specific aspect of well-being measured and the specific family-related values in question.

Change in risk factors for eating disorder symptomatology in Malay students sojourning in the United Kingdom

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this investigation was to examine change in risk for eating disorders in higher education students sojourning in the United Kingdom (UK), as well as associations between such risk and experiences in the host culture.

METHOD

Participants were 98 female students from Malaysia, who completed a measure of risk factors for eating disorder symptomatology (the Eating Disorder Inventory-3 subscales of drive for thinness, body dissatisfaction, and bulimia symptoms) at two time points: two months prior to beginning their sojourn in the UK (Time 1) and four months after the sojourn began (Time 2). At Time 2, participants also completed measures of sociocultural adjustment, cultural distance between home and host cultures, and perceived discrimination in the host culture.

RESULTS

Analyses indicated that, compared to scores at Time 1, participants had significantly higher drive for thinness (d = 0.64), body dissatisfaction (d = 0.54), and bulimia symptoms (d = 0.29) at Time 2. Poorer sociocultural adjustment and greater perceived discrimination significantly predicted greater risk of eating disorders at Time 2.

DISCUSSION

The stress associated with culture change may place sojourning students at risk for disordered eating. Further research is needed to determine the extent to which this risk is related to culture-change specifically, as opposed to a general set of factors associated with transition-related psychopathology more broadly. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. (Int J Eat Disord 2016; 49:695-700).

The Influence of Cultural Background on Students' Feelings about and Use of Social Support

This exploratory study addresses the little researched topic of cross-cultural differences in college students' use of social support. Israeli and Chinese students rated the importance and availability of various support functions and noted whom they turn to when faced with different problems. Findings show that while both Israelis and Chinese students view the various functions of social support as important, they utilize support differently. They almost never turn to a counsellor. Implications for student counselling are discussed.

From Monocultural to Multicultural

Migration to a new country can be very difficult for adolescents as they are also experiencing a critical transition into adulthood. The current study investigates cross-cultural transition issues facing Iranian immigrant adolescents living in Malaysia. Data were gathered from individual interviews with 100 Iranian adolescents (ages 14-18 years), who have lived in Malaysia for between 2 months and 5 years. Descriptive phenomenology qualitative research was used to explore the impact of the migration process on Iranian adolescents. Analysis revealed five major themes regarding participants’ life experiences in Malaysia: (a) initial expectations; (b) differences in ethnicity, religion, and beliefs; (c) communication barriers; (d) differences in personal evaluations; and (e) psychological issues. The results of this study clearly show that migration for Iranian adolescents in Malaysia is a time of unexpected challenges that may not be experienced by other migrant adolescents in other countries. Our findings contribute to the literature on the unique experiences of Iranian adolescents living in Malaysia and also build on the current research on adolescents who have recently immigrated. In addition, our results further uncover the process of immigration for individuals who are moving from a monocultural society (such as Iran) to a multicultural context (such as Malaysia).

When you have lived in a different culture, does returning 'home' not feel like home? Predictors of psychological readjustment to the heritage culture

Many repatriates find it challenging to readjust to their heritage culture after spending a significant period of time abroad. Research on predictors of readjustment, however, remains limited. The present study in particular investigated the identification of third culture individuals (TCIs) – that is, individuals who spent their formative years outside of their heritage culture - with an abstract, third culture. Our findings demonstrated that TCIs’ identification with the third culture was empirically distinct from that of the heritage and host cultures. The present study further examined whether several variables – sojourner type (TCI vs. non-TCI), perceived conflict between heritage and host culture, perceived cultural distance, and cultural identification with heritage and other cultures – predicted psychological readjustment (stress, anxiety, depression and overall psychological readjustment). The results showed that strong heritage culture identification was associated with better psychological readjustment, whereas cultural conflict was generally associated with poorer readjustment. Furthermore, sojourner type significantly moderated the latter association, such that cultural conflict predicted the stress aspect of psychological readjustment for non-TCIs, but not for TCIs. As the present investigation is the first study to empirically establish identification with a ‘third culture’ we discuss implications for the literature on third culture individuals and psychological adjustment upon re-entry.

Body Attitudes and Eating Behaviours of Female Malay Students Studying in Australia

The extent to which 113 adolescent Malay women studying in Australia expressed the desire to lose weight was examined, as was the degree to which this desire reflected a genuine need to lose weight. Comparisons between participants who expressed the desire to either lose weight, stay at their current weight, or gain weight were made using both attitudinal and behavioural components of body image. An in-depth analysis of those who wished to lose weight was also undertaken. There was evidence that negative body attitudes were in excess of what actual body weight might dictate. However, these negative attitudes were not found to be consistently predictive of dysfunctional eating behaviours. Results were interpreted with reference to the potential influence of Westernisation in countries in the South Pacific region, and in particular how attitudes and behaviours are influenced by this process.

Are Americans more successful at building intercultural relations than Japanese? A comparison and analysis of acculturation outcomes in Japan

Various Western and Japanese sources in the literature have concluded that Japanese people, who live in a nation with comparatively less ethnocultural diversity than the U.S., lag behind Americans in their capabilities to develop positive intercultural relations. To test these assumptions, this study compared the quality of acculturation outcomes between Japanese and Americans in Japan. Japanese and American scores were calculated for five dependent measures used to operationalize quality of intercultural relations. Four dependent variables revealed no significant differences. For the variable of organizational investiture, Japanese had significantly higher scores, so data were analyzed to discern why.

Individualism and sociocultural adaptation: Discrimination and social capital as moderators among rural-to-urban migrants in China

This study examined the associations of sociocultural adaptation with individualism and collectivism and the moderating roles of discrimination and social capital in the associations among rural-to-urban migrants (N = 641) in Beijing, China. Results indicated that individualism was associated with poorer adaptation for migrants reporting low perceived discrimination or low social capital. However, migrants reporting high perceived discrimination showed poorer adaptation, regardless of individualism; and migrants reporting high social capital showed better adaptation, regardless of individualism. Collectivism was not related to adaptation. Findings suggest that individualism may be detrimental to migrants' adjustment to a collectivistic society.

Social Self-Efficacy Predicts Chinese College Students’ First-Year Transition

This study investigated the facilitative role of adult social self-efficacy in Chinese college students’ first-year transition. We proposed and tested a process model in which perceived social support was hypothesized as a mediator between social self-efficacy and college freshmen adjustment. Participants were 474 college freshmen enrolled at a large university located in an east coast city in the People’s Republic of China. These college freshmen completed four waves of self-report surveys over a 10-month period, at 1, 4, 7, and 10 months post-entry, respectively. Participants’ first-year cumulative grade point average (GPA) was obtained from the University Registrar. Results based on structural equation modeling provided support for the hypothesized process model. Specifically, social self-efficacy (Month 1) positively related to perceived social support (Month 4), which in turn positively related to academic and social adjustment, but negatively related to depression (Month 7). Perceived social support was found to mediate the above relationships. Academic adjustment positively related to, whereas depression negatively related to, first-year GPA (Month 10). The relationship between social adjustment and first-year GPA was complex, with a negative direct link and a positive indirect link through academic adjustment. In addition, academic and social adjustment positively related to subjective well-being (SWB; Month 10), whereas depression negatively related to SWB. Implications for research and practice were discussed.

Tradução e adaptação da Escala de Potencial de Ajustamento Intercultural para a realidade brasileira

O presente estudo teve como objetivo adaptar a escala Intercultural Adjustment Potencial Scale (ICAPS) desenvolvida por Matsumoto e LeRoux (2006) para o contexto brasileiro. O processo de adaptação cultural seguiu cinco etapas: tradução do instrumento para o português, retrotradução do português para o inglês, avaliação semântica por comitê de juízes, pré-teste da versão de ICAPS em português e estudo das características psicométricas da escala. Os dados foram submetidos ao cálculo da confiabilidade dos fatores originais de ICAPS e às análises fatoriais necessárias à adaptação e validação do instrumento. Os resultados apontaram para uma estrutura que não apresentou suporte empírico para o contexto brasileiro. Discutiram-se as limitações teóricas do construto em estudo e possíveis equívocos na construção dos itens do instrumento.

Major influences on buying decision processes by international university students. Differences by continent of origin

To analyze how food values and other variables related to dietary acculturation affect international university students' food buying decisions, this article provides an in-depth review of relevant literature related to the food buying decisions of groups of sojourners, which suggest several research hypotheses. The data collection targeted international university students in Spain and used factorial analysis of the main components together with linear parametric regressions. The resulting findings offer distinct insights, according to sojourners' continent of origin. Specifically, whereas European students exhibit a higher propensity to value sustainable production practices in the food choices, American students emphasize flavor and exhibit a greater degree of adaptation. These findings in turn suggest some key managerial recommendations and research guidelines for both private and public operators in related fields.