Predictors of Acculturative Stress among International Music Therapy Students in the United States

Abstract

International students are those who have migrated temporarily to a country other than their birth country to receive their education (Nilsson & Dodds, 2006). The United States has more international students than any other nation (Ye, 2006). A recent survey by the Institute of International Education (2010) confirmed continued growth in international student enrollment at higher education institutions in the United States. In 2009/2010, new international student enrollment increased 53.8% from 2004/2005, and 44.1% of students came from China, India, or South Korea.As newcomers, international students need to adjust to their new life in the U.S., commonly referred to as the (Berry, 1984; Berry & Sam, 1997). As a consequence of acculturation, international students inevitably face what is termed acculturative stress (Sandhu & Asrabadi, 1994; Wei et al., 2007). Acculturative stress is defined as one kind of stress, that in which the stressors are identified as having their source in the process of acculturation (Berry, Kim, Minde, & Mok, 1987, p. 492).Acculturative stress has been found to affect a student's well-being (e.g., mental health, psychosomatic symptoms), particularly if he or she lacks resources or support systems and may have a prolonged effect on careers (Reynolds & Constantine, 2007). Although the type and degree of acculturative stress can vary, past research has suggested that language proficiency (Lee, Park, & Kim, 2009), years spent in the United States (Ye, 2006), and personality traits (Duru & Poyrazli, 2007) are particularly important variables in determining an individual's degree of acculturative stress (Johnson & Sandhu, 2007).Findings regarding the relationship between length of residence in the U.S. and acculturative stress are inconclusive. Wilton and Constantine (2003) found that length of residence in the U.S. is negatively associated with psychological distress. On the other hand, Wei et al. (2007) found that individuals who have been in the U.S. longer and have high maladaptive perfectionism showed high levels of acculturative stress. English fluency and ethnicity have consistently been found to be significant predictors of acculturative stress. Yeh and lnose (2003) showed that English fluency, social support satisfaction, and social connectedness were significant predictors of level of acculturative stress. European international students experienced less acculturative stress than Asian, Latino, and African international students. Specific personality traits may also predict acculturative stress (Padilla, Wagatsuma, & Lindholm, 1985; Duru & Poyrazli, 2007). Duru and Poyrazli (2007) examined 229 Turkish international students studying in the U.S. and found that higher levels of neuroticism and openness were associated with higher levels of acculturative stress.Currently, no studies exist examining acculturative stress in college students of specific majors (Yeh & lnose, 2003). Certain areas of study may be particularly stressful for international students. For example, achieving competency in helping professions, such as music therapy, psychology, social work, and education may require more sophisticated language skills and cultural understanding than other disciplines (Hudson & O'Regan, 1994; Dzlegielewski, Roest-Marti, & Turnage, 2004; Maville, Kranz, & Tucker, 2004). These fields tend to require interactions directly with communities.Within these fields, degree requirements specific to music therapy may be particularly demanding for students from other countries. The practicum and internship experiences, for instance, require students to be fluent in English, to know and perform music appropriate to the U.S. population, and to understand how American clients conceive of therapy itself. Furthermore, these students may experience stress associated with developing proficiency in their musical instrument (Sternbach, 2008). …