Major Causes of Acculturative Stress and Their Relations with Sociodemographic Factors and Depression among International Students

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to examine the main sources of acculturative stress and their associations with sociodemographic factors and depression. A descriptive cross-sectional research design was employed to investigate the study. International students (N = 506) volunteered to take part in the survey and completed two self-report questionnaires: Acculturative Stress for International Students Scale and a Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale. Descriptive statistics, Pearson's product moment correlation, t-test, and analysis of variance were performed in data analyses. The study delineated that homesickness, culture shock, and discrimination were the leading stress causing factors among the students. Participants' age, marital status, Chinese language proficiency, friendship with local students, educational level, prior travel experience and source of financial support also appeared to have a significant association with their acculturative stress scores. The study also explored a significant positive relationship between acculturative stressors and depression. Findings of the study could apply to host universities to better engineer programs or services that accelerate and promote the psychological positive acculturative process and outcomes of their international fellow students and subsequently safeguard them from exacerbating mental health problems.

Antecedents of Psychological Adjustment of International Students Studying in China: The Roles of Self-Efficacy and Self-Esteem

“…More specifically, the common challenges that international students encounter include language barriers, perceived discrimination, financial concerns, homesickness, academic pressure and culture shock [12] [13] [14]. Similarly, several studies conducted among international students studying in China revealed that the students experienced mental health problems, such as stress and depression as a result of acculturative stressors [15] [16] [17]. In light of the psychological adjustment difficulties and their devastating impact on psychological well-being, numerous researchers have at- [9] [10] [25].…”

Pedagodzy społeczni jako współtowarzysze migrantów w procesie adaptacji społeczno-kulturowej, integracji i inkluzji

“…Może to wynikać także głównie z samej migracji, szczególnie w kontekście uchodźców. Stres akulturacyjny -emocjonalna reakcja na zmianę w kulturze pobytu związana z wieloma stresorami (Berry, 1997) -często powoduje wyuczoną bezradność i wyuczoną zależność, depresję, lęk, niższą samoocenę, problemy z tożsamością i utratę autonomii (Boekestijn, 1988;Telzer, Vazquez, 2009;Gembala, 2010;Kubitsky, 2012;Gebregergis, 2018). Wszystko to zabiera sprawczość osób migrujących.…”

Social pedagogues as migrants companions in socio-cultural adaptation, integration and inclusion

“…It can mainly results from migration itself, especially in the context of refugees. Acculturative stress -an emotional response to a change in the culture of residence connected to many stressors 8 (Berry, 1997: 30) -often causes learned helplessness and leaned dependency, depression, anxiety, lower self-esteem, identity problems and loss of autonomy (Boekestijn, 1988;Telzer, Vazquez, 2009;Gembala, 2010;Kubitsky, 2012;Gebregergis, 2018). All this take away migrants' agency.…”

“… John Berry (1997) described four acculturation strategies -marginalization, separation, assimilation and integration.8 There are number of significant stressors that are likely to be pervasive, intense, and lifelong such as: cultural shock (new and different laws, values, traditions, ways of behavior, cuisine), language, financial issues, discrimination, alienation and isolation, homesick(Gebregergis, 2018).…”