International students’ acculturation: Effects of international, conational, and local ties and need for closure

Abstract

Asian international students’ acculturation to Australia was significantly influenced by their personal ties with other international (non-conational), conational, and local Australian students, and by the individual difference of need for cognitive closure (NCC). High NCC students tended to find their sojourn in the foreign country more unsettling and stressful. Nevertheless, having personal ties with locals alleviated their psychological adjustment. Students with more international ties were better adjusted in general. The study also suggested that international students’ social identities may change dynamically during their acculturation. Greater social ties of all three types facilitated identification with their Australian university. Further, cognitively open and flexible low NCC students tended to hold stronger identification with their heritage culture if having more international ties. Further research should replicate these results with potential applied implications for those concerned with international education. The present results were also compared with the previous research on international immigrants.