A Cross-national Study of International Students' experiences

Abstract

This study examined cross-cultural adaptation experiences of international students from non-English speaking countries studying in English-taught programs in Europe and the United States. Based on the integrative theory of cross-cultural adaptation (Kim, 1988, 2001, 2005), this study examined the positive impact of communication engagement, interaction and general adjustment, and psychological well-being on general satisfaction. We conducted a survey of international students studying in ten universities in Poland, Denmark, Germany, France, Finland and the U.S. A total of 916 international students were selected as the sample for this analysis. This study found that social interaction with local peers in the host culture is a driver for international students to adapt as they are facing a high level of challenges and stress. The research findings contribute to the contradictory viewpoints on the role of communication with co-ethnics in the host cultural environment, finding a significant positive impact of host interpersonal communication, rather than ethnic interpersonal communication, on general satisfaction. Additionally, the results support studies on the multidimensional construct of adjustment by providing empirical evidence of international students, and testify the mediating role of interaction adjustment on student satisfaction. This study has several practical and policy implications to create a diverse and multicultural campus.