Ready or Not Here I Come: A Qualitative Investigation of                     Students’ Readiness Perceptions for Study Abroad/Away

Bikos, Lynette H.; Manning, Scott B.; Frieders, Zachary J.

doi:10.1037/ipp0000105

Cited by 11 publications

(16 citation statements)

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“…In a recent investigation of student readiness for study abroad, researchers [42] reported that social cognitive career theory [43] served as a useful theoretical framework for both conceptualizing predictors of sociocultural adaptation and intervening. Specifically, study abroad students perceived that past personal performance accomplishments (e.g., international and domestic travel) would be the strongest contributors to successful adaptation to the host-country environment.…”

Section: Future Research and Practical Applicationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This was followed by intentional pre-departure preparation and practice (e.g., language lessons, orientation) and vicarious learning experiences from family, friends, and acquaintances who had similar experiences. Considering students' variability in readiness, Bikos et al [42] recommended that (to the degree possible) international experiences be incrementally graded. Our results suggest that language proficiency and perceived cultural distance between home and host countries would be important considerations in selecting a global experience.…”

Section: Future Research and Practical Applicationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Birds of a Feather Fare Less Well Together: Modeling Predictors of International Student Adaptation

Gibbs¹,

Güneri

Pankau

et al. 2020

Sustainability

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Sociocultural adaptation to the host country is an important corollary to the psychological well-being of international students. We used structural equation modeling (SEM) to test a model of sociocultural adaptation and psychological wellbeing. International students in Ankara, Turkey (N = 161, mean age = 22.35) completed online surveys. Consistent with our hypotheses, interpersonal connections with host nationals predicted greater sociocultural adaptation (β = 0.250, p = 0.001) and interpersonal connections with co-nationals resulted in poorer psychological adjustment (β = −0.171, p = 0.025). Host-country language proficiency led to better sociocultural adaptation (β = 0.262, p < 0.001), and perceptions of greater cultural distance had a negative impact on both psychological (β = 0.314, p < 0.001) and sociocultural adaptation (β = 0.328, p < 0.001). Thus, students who were able to engage in relations with host-country nationals fared better. Our results provide insight for sending and receiving institutions regarding the preparation (e.g., exploring cognitive frames for immersion, language skills, reviewing coping strategies) and supportive services (e.g., connection with host country nationals) that will facilitate the adjustment of international students. Drawing on the model of cross-cultural adaption proposed by Searle and Ward [9,10] and related literature, we modeled the effects of intrapersonal, interpersonal, and contextual factors on the psychological and sociocultural adjustment of international students at a prestigious, comprehensive, public university in Ankara, Turkey. This university attracts over 1000 international students to its campus from 85 different countries. The largest proportion come from the Middle East and Central Asia and they enroll in the variety of majors/disciplines that are offered. The overall number of students who are enrolled in undergraduate and graduate programs is 27,000. While the language of the country and the surrounding community is Turkish, the medium of instruction is English. Turkey is a developing country with a diverse population that has, over the last several decades, seen cultural shifts towards the adoption of several Western ideals, such as individualism and a nuclear family structure, but in many ways retains its collectivistic roots through cultural values of sharing and hospitality. With this specific cultural context established, questions surrounding how international students adjust to this environment can be explored. Sociocultural AdaptationSociocultural adaptation has been defined as "behaviorally based competencies required in various situations and circumstances during cross-cultural transitions" [11] (p. 1476). Examples include adjusting to living, working, and studying in a new environment, and the ability to perceive, understand, and respond appropriately to new cultural situations. Research on international student adjustment has been advanced by Ward and colleagues [9,12,13], who have analyzed numerous variables across their studies, such a...

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Section: Future Research and Practical Applicationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Future Research and Practical Applicationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Birds of a Feather Fare Less Well Together: Modeling Predictors of International Student Adaptation

Gibbs¹,

Güneri

Pankau

et al. 2020

Sustainability

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…In a qualitative investigation, Bikos et al (2019) mapped more than 500 students’ perceptions of their readiness for participation in an upcoming education abroad experience onto SCCT’s model of how basic career interests develop over time (Lent et al, 2013). The student participants were asked to list up to a dozen factors that prepared them for the upcoming experience, and then rank order the top three.…”

Section: The Importance Of Sociocultural Adaptationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…At the core of any SCCT model are three concepts: self-efficacy, outcome expectations, and goals. The role of self-efficacy had a curious place in the Bikos et al (2019) findings. Although there was no instance of a student identifying self-efficacy (or confidence) in their readiness for study abroad, more than half of the responses were categorized into two sources of self-efficacy beliefs.…”

Section: The Importance Of Sociocultural Adaptationmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Self-Efficacy for Sociocultural Adaptation Scale (SESCAS): Development and Initial Psychometric Evaluation

Bikos

Forman

Patton

2020

The Counseling Psychologist

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Adjustment to the interpersonal and environmental contexts of a host country is critical for sojourners. Founded in social cognitive career theory, the Self-Efficacy for Sociocultural Adaptation Scale (SESCAS) is a multidimensional scale that assesses self-efficacy for three types of tasks (affective, behavioral, cognitive) in two cultural contexts (environmental, interpersonal). We conducted item-total correlations, confirmatory factor analyses, reliability analyses (test-retest, internal consistency), within-scale convergent and discriminant validity, convergent and discriminant validity, and predictive validity assessments across an initial sample of the general population ( n = 227), a cross-validation sample of undergraduate students enrolled in education abroad ( n = 546), and a predictive validity sample of re-entered education abroad undergraduates ( n = 74). Psychometric properties of the scale support its use as a total score and as various subfactor constellations. Researchers are encouraged to use the SESCAS to explore how self-efficacy for sociocultural adaptation may contribute to global learning outcomes and well-being.

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“…Moreover, scholars have also found that when students studyabroad,their desire to study abroad again is enhanced (Lewis &Niesenbaum, 2005),as well as their career development and advancement (Norris & Gillespie, 2012). In light of the increasing need to instill cultural sensitivity and global mindedness in our future educators and human service professionals, researchers have dedicated extensive efforts towards unpacking best practices for study abroad programs (Medora & Roy, 2017), the factors associated with study abroad participation (Bikos, Manning, &Frieders, 2019), as well as student outcomes resulting from study abroad participation (Harris et al, 2019). More specifically, there has been considerable attention paid to the pre-departure experiences of students prior to travel with a specific focuson how faculty, institutions, and study abroad programs can best prepare students for their global education experiences (Dunlap &Mapp, 2017;Goldoni, 2015).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

How Students Self-Prepare for a Study-Abroad Program: A Qualitative Analysis

Medora¹,

Brown²,

Taylor³

2019

IJHSS

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With increasing globalization and cultural interconnectedess, higher education is putting more effort into developing and encouraging students to particiapte in study abroad programs. In recent years, researchers have also paid more attention to identifying how to best prepare students for their study abroad expereinces, yet, there has not been an investigation of how students self-prepare prior to a study abroad excursion. Using the narratives of 80 college students, the present study examined student perceptions of their preparatory efforts prior to the "Semester at Sea" (SAS) study abroad voyage.Six major themes emerged from the data as students reported preparing in the following ways: 1.) Acquiring Knowledge; 2.) Financial Preparation; 3.) Logistical Preparation; 4.) Relational Preparation; 5.) Cognitive Preparation; and 6.) No Preparation/Reliance on Previous Experiences.The findings from this study have utility for future empirical investigations of study abroad programs, as well as for improving student preparatory activities.

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Ready or Not Here I Come: A Qualitative Investigation of Students’ Readiness Perceptions for Study Abroad/Away

Cited by 11 publications

References 11 publications

Birds of a Feather Fare Less Well Together: Modeling Predictors of International Student Adaptation

Birds of a Feather Fare Less Well Together: Modeling Predictors of International Student Adaptation

The Self-Efficacy for Sociocultural Adaptation Scale (SESCAS): Development and Initial Psychometric Evaluation

How Students Self-Prepare for a Study-Abroad Program: A Qualitative Analysis

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