Predicting maladjustment of exchange students in different cultures: a prospective study

Abstract

The aim of this study was to construct a discriminant function to predict maladjustment in foreign cultures for 123 Japanese adolescents studying abroad in home stay for 1 year. The maladjustment was defined in terms of self-reported friendship availability, friendship satisfaction and emotional distress. Among the variables assessed before departure, three factors emerged as strong predictors of maladjustment: neuroticism, maternal care before age 16, and friendship availability at home. The discriminant function obtained showed an overall predictive power of 72% and was found to be robust.

Work-Family Balance and Psychosocial Adjustment of Married International Students

“…On the other hand, neuroticism as a personality trait negatively predicted psychosocial adjustment to the U.S. This finding was also in line with research showing positive relationships between neuroticism and greater psychological adjustment problems (Furukawa & Shibayama, 1993;Ward et al, 2004) indicated by depression and social difficulty in student and expatriate samples. Married international graduate students who display features of anxiety, hostility, depression, impulsiveness and vulnerability (Costa & McCrae, 1992) could be at higher risk for experiencing psychosocial problems during their adjustment to the U.S.…”

Personality, Acculturation, and Psychosocial Adjustment of Chinese International Students in Germany

“…There are two shared predictors of both general and academic sociocultural adjustment supported by empirical evidence (Furukawand & Shibayama, 1993;Ryder, Alden, & Paulhus, 2000;Ward, et al, 2004). These are Openness to Experience, which is related to actively seeking new experiences and intellectual curiosity, and Neuroticism, which is related to maladaptive coping responses (John, et al, 2008).…”

“…Sociocultural adjustment could be facilitated by social learning and an adaptive coping style (Furukawand & Shibayama, 1993;Ward & Kennedy, 1999). There are two shared predictors of both general and academic sociocultural adjustment supported by empirical evidence (Furukawand & Shibayama, 1993;Ryder, Alden, & Paulhus, 2000;Ward, et al, 2004).…”

Development and validation of a measure of intercultural adjustment potential in Japanese sojourners: the Intercultural Adjustment Potential Scale (ICAPS)

“…Furukawa and colleagues, for example, have indicated in a number of studies that variables such as neuroticism and emotion-focused coping predict adjustment and re-adjustment in Japanese sojourners and immigrants (Furukawa, 1997;Furukawa & Shibayama, 1993, 1994. The factors identified and measured by the ICAPS should work in conjunction with other cognitive variables identified by previous research as important in intercultural adjustment.…”