Abstract

In this research, we developed and tested an internet counseling program for social and cultural adaptation of Korean adolescent international students (KAIS) in U.S. Adaptation needs of those students were assessed in the Study 1. Survey and interview data from the Study 1 showed that Korean adolescent international students in U.S. experience adaptational difficulties mostly in such areas as school, language, culture, law, and family relations. Based on the need assessments from the Study 1, an internet counseling program was developed and its effects were tested in the Study 2. In Study 2, a group of 36 KAISs were assigned into the on-line counseling condition in which the subjects completed 12 sessions of internet counseling program. Another group of 17 KAISs were assigned into the off-line condition in which the same counseling program was administered in the traditional face-to-face sessions. The third group was a control group of 47 KAISs to whom no program was administered. All three groups of the subjects were tested twice (pre-test and post-test) with several psychological instruments to measure goal ambiguity, activeness in challenge seeking, self-regulation, self-competence, assertiveness, and stress control. The on-line group and the off-line group alike showed marked improvements in psychological functioning as measured on the post-tests compared with those on the pre-tests. The control group showed no difference between the two tests. It was concluded that the on-line counseling program is as effective as the traditional face-to-face counseling method for the improvement of psychological functioning that is necessary for successful adaptation of KAISs. Practical implications of the results were discussed.