Cross-Cultural Transition and Psychological Adaptation of International Students: The Mediating Role of Host National Connectedness
Cross-cultural transitions are challenging and often have detrimental consequences for psychological well-being. This is particularly true for international students at tertiary institutions who are not only transitioning between school and higher education, but also between vastly different educati...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2020-09-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Education |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/feduc.2020.539950/full |
| _version_ | 1818501327566667776 |
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| author | Alicia Bethel Alicia Bethel Colleen Ward Velichko H. Fetvadjiev Velichko H. Fetvadjiev |
| author_facet | Alicia Bethel Alicia Bethel Colleen Ward Velichko H. Fetvadjiev Velichko H. Fetvadjiev |
| author_sort | Alicia Bethel |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Cross-cultural transitions are challenging and often have detrimental consequences for psychological well-being. This is particularly true for international students at tertiary institutions who are not only transitioning between school and higher education, but also between vastly different educational systems. This study tests a predictive model of psychological adaptation with international students whereby host national connectedness mediates the effects of personal resources and contextual factors on adaptive outcomes. A sample (N = 1527) of international tertiary students in New Zealand completed a survey that measured self-reported English language proficiency, perceived cultural distance, perceived cultural inclusiveness in the classroom, host national connectedness (defined by frequency of contact, number of friends, social support, and general belongingness), and positive (life satisfaction) and negative (psychological symptoms) indicators of psychological adaptation. Path analysis indicated that host national connectedness fully mediated the effects of English language proficiency on psychological symptoms and partially mediated the effects of language proficiency, cultural distance and cultural inclusion in the classroom on life satisfaction and psychological symptoms. The findings highlight the importance of international students’ relationships with host nationals, and the results are discussed in relation to strategies that could enhance student-host connectedness during cross-cultural transitions. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-10T20:54:38Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-197afc597c6348a993b26167c817e0da |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2504-284X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-10T20:54:38Z |
| publishDate | 2020-09-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Education |
| spelling | doaj.art-197afc597c6348a993b26167c817e0da2022-12-22T01:34:00ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Education2504-284X2020-09-01510.3389/feduc.2020.539950539950Cross-Cultural Transition and Psychological Adaptation of International Students: The Mediating Role of Host National ConnectednessAlicia Bethel0Alicia Bethel1Colleen Ward2Velichko H. Fetvadjiev3Velichko H. Fetvadjiev4Centre for Applied Cross-Cultural Research, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New ZealandInternational Recruitment, Relations and Study Abroad, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United KingdomCentre for Applied Cross-Cultural Research, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New ZealandCentre for Applied Cross-Cultural Research, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New ZealandDepartment of Social Psychology, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, NetherlandsCross-cultural transitions are challenging and often have detrimental consequences for psychological well-being. This is particularly true for international students at tertiary institutions who are not only transitioning between school and higher education, but also between vastly different educational systems. This study tests a predictive model of psychological adaptation with international students whereby host national connectedness mediates the effects of personal resources and contextual factors on adaptive outcomes. A sample (N = 1527) of international tertiary students in New Zealand completed a survey that measured self-reported English language proficiency, perceived cultural distance, perceived cultural inclusiveness in the classroom, host national connectedness (defined by frequency of contact, number of friends, social support, and general belongingness), and positive (life satisfaction) and negative (psychological symptoms) indicators of psychological adaptation. Path analysis indicated that host national connectedness fully mediated the effects of English language proficiency on psychological symptoms and partially mediated the effects of language proficiency, cultural distance and cultural inclusion in the classroom on life satisfaction and psychological symptoms. The findings highlight the importance of international students’ relationships with host nationals, and the results are discussed in relation to strategies that could enhance student-host connectedness during cross-cultural transitions.https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/feduc.2020.539950/fullconnectednesscultural inclusivenessinternational studentspsychological adaptationNew Zealandwell-being |
| spellingShingle | Alicia Bethel Alicia Bethel Colleen Ward Velichko H. Fetvadjiev Velichko H. Fetvadjiev Cross-Cultural Transition and Psychological Adaptation of International Students: The Mediating Role of Host National Connectedness Frontiers in Education connectedness cultural inclusiveness international students psychological adaptation New Zealand well-being |
| title | Cross-Cultural Transition and Psychological Adaptation of International Students: The Mediating Role of Host National Connectedness |
| title_full | Cross-Cultural Transition and Psychological Adaptation of International Students: The Mediating Role of Host National Connectedness |
| title_fullStr | Cross-Cultural Transition and Psychological Adaptation of International Students: The Mediating Role of Host National Connectedness |
| title_full_unstemmed | Cross-Cultural Transition and Psychological Adaptation of International Students: The Mediating Role of Host National Connectedness |
| title_short | Cross-Cultural Transition and Psychological Adaptation of International Students: The Mediating Role of Host National Connectedness |
| title_sort | cross cultural transition and psychological adaptation of international students the mediating role of host national connectedness |
| topic | connectedness cultural inclusiveness international students psychological adaptation New Zealand well-being |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/feduc.2020.539950/full |
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