Personal growth initiative refers to the conscious pursuit of individual growth across multiple life domains. The construct was recently reconceptualized as a multidimensional trait and has attracted attention from researchers outside the United States. The present study sought to extend this literature by examining personal growth initiative in relation to international student adjustment and as a possible buffer of acculturative stress. We collected data from 386 international students studying in the United States. Confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) indicated adequate fit for the four-factor model, yielding similar results to studies involving primarily European American college students. Regression analyses indicated that the Planfulness dimension of personal growth initiative accounted for significant variance in adjustment, even with relevant demographic and cultural factors included. In addition, we found indications of a moderation effect, whereby higher levels of the Using Resources dimension of personal growth initiative seemed to buffer the effect of acculturative stress on adjustment.

International students are often encouraged to cope with acculturative stress by relying on personal and multicultural strengths. The authors explored this assumption by testing personal growth initiative, hardiness, and universal‐diverse orientation as predictors of international students’ acculturative stress and adjustment. Data from 336 international students supported a partially mediated model, such that greater levels of personal and multicultural strengths predicted less acculturative problems, thus leading to better adjustment.

Research has consistently identified low rates of counseling use among Asian international students. Empirical findings suggest that Asian foreign students are less likely to seek counseling than their American peers (

No abstract