Abstract
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.
Highlights
The proverb “Birds of a feather flock together” reflects the tendency of humans to surround themselves with those similar to themselves, and has been supported in the psychological literature
Searle and Ward [9,10] provided a theoretical model of adaptation that divides the overall process into two interrelated but distinct domains: (a) psychological adaptation, which encompasses emotional wellbeing as influenced by factors such as personality, coping style, and social support, and (b) sociocultural adaptation, as influenced by variables such as length of stay in the host country, language proficiency, and skill acquisitions related to social norms
Because evaluating multiple levels of an individual’s environmental context is essential to understanding the multi-level focus of sustainability [18], we modeled the degree of sociocultural adaptation from intrapersonal, interpersonal, and contextual variables
Summary
The proverb “Birds of a feather flock together” reflects the tendency of humans to surround themselves with those similar to themselves, and has been supported in the psychological literature. 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. 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
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