Social Support, Adjustment, and Psychological Distress of Help-Seeking Expatriates
The present study aimed to explore the interrelations between support processes, adjustment, and psychological distress within a sample of help-seeking expatriates. Specifically, we examined (1) the association between expatriates’ cross-cultural adjustment (i.e., work, interaction and general adjus...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Ubiquity Press
2018-10-01
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| Series: | Psychologica Belgica |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.psychologicabelgica.com/articles/464 |
| _version_ | 1818875500649512960 |
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| author | Mojca Filipič Sterle Tine Vervoort Lesley L. Verhofstadt |
| author_facet | Mojca Filipič Sterle Tine Vervoort Lesley L. Verhofstadt |
| author_sort | Mojca Filipič Sterle |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The present study aimed to explore the interrelations between support processes, adjustment, and psychological distress within a sample of help-seeking expatriates. Specifically, we examined (1) the association between expatriates’ cross-cultural adjustment (i.e., work, interaction and general adjustment) and levels of psychological distress (i.e., depression, anxiety and stress), (2) the association between expatriates’ perceptions of socioemotional and instrumental support availability and their level of cross-cultural adjustment, and (3) the moderating role of expatriates’ socioemotional and instrumental support needs in the latter association. Findings showed that lower levels of expatriates’ work adjustment were associated with higher levels of psychological distress. Further, perceived availability of socioemotional support was positively linked to expatriates’ interaction and work adjustment. Finally, instrumental support needs moderated the relationship between instrumental support availability and general adjustment such that higher levels of instrumental support availability were associated with better general adjustment, but only for expatriates reporting high needs for instrumental support. Our study represents a novel contribution to the expatriate literature by shedding light on expatriates’ vulnerability for psychological distress and understanding the type of social support that is considered most beneficial for help-seeking expatriates. Suggestions are made for clinical interventions for expatriates in need of support. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-19T13:27:29Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-20e4390f0edf4b56be739c540f62edd4 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0033-2879 2054-670X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-19T13:27:29Z |
| publishDate | 2018-10-01 |
| publisher | Ubiquity Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Psychologica Belgica |
| spelling | doaj.art-20e4390f0edf4b56be739c540f62edd42022-12-21T20:19:30ZengUbiquity PressPsychologica Belgica0033-28792054-670X2018-10-0158129731710.5334/pb.464300Social Support, Adjustment, and Psychological Distress of Help-Seeking ExpatriatesMojca Filipič Sterle0Tine Vervoort1Lesley L. Verhofstadt2Department of Experimental-Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, Ghent, BE; Department of Marital and Family Therapy, Faculty of Theology, University of Ljubljana, LjubljanaDepartment of Experimental-Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, GhentDepartment of Experimental-Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, GhentThe present study aimed to explore the interrelations between support processes, adjustment, and psychological distress within a sample of help-seeking expatriates. Specifically, we examined (1) the association between expatriates’ cross-cultural adjustment (i.e., work, interaction and general adjustment) and levels of psychological distress (i.e., depression, anxiety and stress), (2) the association between expatriates’ perceptions of socioemotional and instrumental support availability and their level of cross-cultural adjustment, and (3) the moderating role of expatriates’ socioemotional and instrumental support needs in the latter association. Findings showed that lower levels of expatriates’ work adjustment were associated with higher levels of psychological distress. Further, perceived availability of socioemotional support was positively linked to expatriates’ interaction and work adjustment. Finally, instrumental support needs moderated the relationship between instrumental support availability and general adjustment such that higher levels of instrumental support availability were associated with better general adjustment, but only for expatriates reporting high needs for instrumental support. Our study represents a novel contribution to the expatriate literature by shedding light on expatriates’ vulnerability for psychological distress and understanding the type of social support that is considered most beneficial for help-seeking expatriates. Suggestions are made for clinical interventions for expatriates in need of support.https://www.psychologicabelgica.com/articles/464expatriatescross-cultural adjustmentsocial supportsocio-emotional supportinstrumental supporthelp-seeking sample |
| spellingShingle | Mojca Filipič Sterle Tine Vervoort Lesley L. Verhofstadt Social Support, Adjustment, and Psychological Distress of Help-Seeking Expatriates Psychologica Belgica expatriates cross-cultural adjustment social support socio-emotional support instrumental support help-seeking sample |
| title | Social Support, Adjustment, and Psychological Distress of Help-Seeking Expatriates |
| title_full | Social Support, Adjustment, and Psychological Distress of Help-Seeking Expatriates |
| title_fullStr | Social Support, Adjustment, and Psychological Distress of Help-Seeking Expatriates |
| title_full_unstemmed | Social Support, Adjustment, and Psychological Distress of Help-Seeking Expatriates |
| title_short | Social Support, Adjustment, and Psychological Distress of Help-Seeking Expatriates |
| title_sort | social support adjustment and psychological distress of help seeking expatriates |
| topic | expatriates cross-cultural adjustment social support socio-emotional support instrumental support help-seeking sample |
| url | https://www.psychologicabelgica.com/articles/464 |
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