바로가기메뉴

본문 바로가기 주메뉴 바로가기

Korean Journal of School Psychology

The acculturation experience of Chinese international students in South Korea: Coping and perceived changes in the cultural transition

Abstract

This study examined coping strategies and perceived changes of the Chinese international students in South Korea. A total of 56 Chinese students participated and data was analyzed using the concept mapping method. The results showed that Chinese international students adopted developing language proficiency and using social networks as important coping strategies. They also perceived a wide range of changes including changes in the cultural and personal self. However, the perception of these coping strategies and changes differed by the length of stay. Chinese international students who stayed longer reported using specific coping strategies for mood regulation, which was distinctive from the coping strategies used by students who stayed for a shorter period of time. Students who stayed longer perceived negative changes as well as positive changes, while students who stayed for a shorter period reported predominantly positive changes. The findings indicate that university staff needs to understand and sensitively respond to the distinctive experiences of Chinese international students which vary across time.

keywords
중국인 유학생, 문화적응, 대처전략, 지각된 변화, Chinese international students, South Korea, acculturation, coping, perceived changes, Chinese international students, South Korea, acculturation, coping, perceived changes

Reference

1.

Anderson, T. R., & Myer, T. E. (1985). Presenting problem, counselor contacts, and “no shows”: International and American college students. Journal of College Personnel, 26, 500-503.

2.

Berry, J. (2003). Conceptual approaches to acculturation. In K. Chun, P. Balls Organista, & G. Marin(Eds.), Acculturation: Advances in theory, measurement and applied research(pp.17–37). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

3.

Bedi, R. P. (2006). Concept mapping the client’s perspective on counseling alliance formation. Journal of counseling psychology, 53 (1), 26-35.

4.

Black, J. S. (1991). Managerial Behaviors & Job performance: a successful manager in Los Angeles may not succeed in Hong Kong. Journal of International Business Studies, 22(1), 99-113.

5.

Buser, S. J. (1989). A counseling practitioner’s primer to the use of multidimensional scaling. Journal of Counseling & Development, 67(7), 420-423.

6.

Carver, C., Scheier, M., & Weintraub, J. (1989). Assessing coping strategies: A theoretically based approach. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 56, 267-283.

7.

Carlson, J. S., & Widaman, K. F. (1988). The effects of study abroad during college on attitudes toward other cultures. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 12, 1–17.

8.

Cha, M., & Chang, W. (2009). Learning through working: a case study of Chinese college students in South Korea. Asia Pacific Journal of Education, 29, 311-320.

9.

Comp, D., Gladding, S., Rhodes, G., Stephenson, S., & Berg, M. V. (2007). Literature and resources for education abroad outcomes assessment. In M. C. Bolen(Ed.). A guide to outcomes assessment in education abroad (pp.97-136). Carlisle, PA: The Forum on Education Abroad.

10.

Darcy, M., Lee, D., & Tracey, T. J. G. (2004). Complementary approaches to individual differences using paired comparisons and multidimensional scaling: Applications to multicultural counseling competence. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 51(2), 139-150.

11.

Drews, D. R., Meyer, L. L., & Peregrine, P. N. (1996). Effects of study abroad on conceptualization of national groups. College student journal, 30, 452-461.

12.

Galchenko, I., & van de Vijver, F. J. R. (2007). The role of perceived cultural distance in the acculturation of exchange students in Russia. Intercultural Journal of Intercultural Relations, 31, 181-197.

13.

Gerard, R. W. (1957). Units and concepts of biology. Science, 125, 429-433.

14.

Gol, A. R., & Cook, S. W. (2004). Exploring the underlying dimensions of coping: A concept mapping approach. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 23, 155-171.

15.

Goodyear, R. K., Tracey, T. J., Claiborn, C. D., Lichtenberg, J. W., & Wampold, B. E. (2005). Ideographic concept mapping in counseling psychology research: Conceptual overview, methodology,and illustration. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 52 (2), 236- 242.

16.

Ha, J. H. (2008). A qualitative study of Chinese students’ adaptation to Korean college life [in Korean]. The Korean Journal of Counseling and Psychotherapy, 20 (2), 473-496.

17.

Hayes, R. L., & Lin, H-R. (1994). Coming to America: Developing social support systems for international students. Journal of Multicultural Counseling and Development, 22. 7-16.

18.

Hill, C. E., & Corbett, M. M. (1993). A perspective on the history of process and outcome research in counseling psychology. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 40(1), 3-24.

19.

Jackson, K. M., & Trochim, W. M. K. (2002). Concept mapping as an alternative approach for the analysis of open-ended survey responses. Organizational Research Methods, 5, 307-336.

20.

Jeong, E. I. (2009). Career-related adaptation of Chinese students in Korea: Focus on career-preparation behavior, sense of career identity, and career attitude maturity [in Korean]. The Journal of Career Education Research, 22 (4), 109-131.

21.

Kane, M., & Trochim, W. M. K. (2007). Concept mapping for planning and evaluation. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

22.

Kao, C.-W., & Gansneder, B. (1995). An assessment of class participation by international Graduate students. Journal of College Student Development, 36, 132–140.

23.

Kagan, H., & Cohen, J. (1990). Cultural adjustment of international students. Psychological Science, 1, 133-137.

24.

Khawaja, N. G., & Dempsey, J. (2008) A comparison of International and Domestic Tertiary Students in Australia. Australian Journal of Guidance & Counseling 18, 30-46.

25.

Kitsantas, A. (2004). Studying abroad: The role of college student’s goals on the development of cross-cultural skills and global understanding. College Student Journal, 38, 441–452.

26.

Koester, J. (1985). A profile of the U.S. student abroad. New York: Council on International Education Exchange.

27.

Koneru, V. K., Weisman, D. E., Mamani, A. G., Flynn, P. M., & Betancourt, H. (2007). Acculturation and mental health: Current findings and recommendations for future research. Applied and Preventive Psychology, 12, 76-96.

28.

Lam, B. T. (2005). Self-construal and depression among Vietnamese-American adolescents. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 29, 239-250.

29.

Lazarus, R. S., & Folkman, S. (1984). Stress, appraisal and coping. New York, NY: Springer.

30.

Lee, R. M., & Robbins, S. B. (1998). The relationship between social connectedness and anxiety, self-esteem, and social identity. Journal of counseling psychology, 45, 338-345.

31.

Lee, J-. S., Koeske, G. F., & Sales, E. (2004). Social support buffering of acculturative stress: a study of mental health symptoms among Korean international students. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 28, 399-414.

32.

Lim, C. H. (2009). Acculturative stresses and adjustment elements of Chinese students’ studying in Korea [in Korean]. Korean Journal of Life Science, 18 (2), 93-112.

33.

Lim, S., & Han, G. (2009). Socio-Psychological predictors of psychological maladjustments among Chinese students in Korea. The Korean Journal of School Psychology, 6(3), 413- 427.

34.

Lysgaard, S. (1955). Adjustment in a foreign society. Norwegian Fulbright grantees visiting the United States. International Social Science Bulletin, 7, 45-51.

35.

McCabe, L. T. (1994). The development of a global perspective during participation in semester at sea: A comparative global education program. Educational Review, 46(3), 275-286.

36.

Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology (2009). Enrollment and attendance rate of foreign students. Retrieved from http://www. mest.go.kr/web/275/ko/board/view.do? bbsId=41&currentPage=1&boardSeq=18202&mode=view

37.

Misra, R., Crist, M., & Burant, C. J. (2003). Relationships among life stress, social support, academic stressors, and reactions to stressors of international students in the United States. International Journal of Stress Management, 10, 137-157.

38.

Murphy-Lejeune, E. (2002). Student mobility and narrative in Europe: The new strangers. London: Routledge.

39.

Na, I. S. (2006). A study on the effects of acculturative stress and life stress among foreign Students [in Korean]. NPO research, 5(2), 159-197.

40.

Nam, S. (2010). A Study on school adaptation patterns by grades and effects of acculturation strategies and cultural identity to school adaptation among Chinese students in Korea. The Korean Journal of Education Psychology, 24(4), 977-998.

41.

Paulson, B. L., Truscott, D., & Stuart, J. (1999). Clients’ perceptions of helpful experiences in counseling. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 46(3). 317-324.

42.

Ryan, M. E., & Twibell, R. S. (2000). Concerns, values, stress, coping, health and educational outcomes of college students who studied abroad. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 24, 409-435.

43.

Sandhu, D. S., & Asrabadi, B. R. (1994). Development of an acculturative stress scale for international students: Preliminary findings. Psychological Reports, 75(1), 435-448.

44.

Song, W., & Li, N. (2008). Chinese student’s early psychological adaptation according to their acculturation type [in Korean]. The Korean Journal of School Psychology, 5 (2), 159 -173.

45.

Sumer, S., Poyrazli, S., & Grahame, K. (2008). Predictors of depression and anxiety among international students. Journal of counseling and development, 86 (4), 429-437.

46.

Tsang, E W. K. (2001). Adjustment of mainland Chinese academics and students to Singapore. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 25, 347-372.

47.

Trochim, W M. K. (1989). An introduction to concept mapping for planning and evaluation. Evaluation and Program Planning, 12, 1-16.

48.

Wang, C-C DC, & Mallinckrodt, B. (2006). Acculturation, attachment, and psychological adjustment of Chinese/Taiwanese international students. Journal of Conseling Psychology, 53, 422-433.

49.

Ward, C., & Kennedy, A. (1994). Acculturation strategies, psychological adjustment and sociocultural competence during cross-cultural transitions. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 1, 329-343.

50.

Wei, M., Ku, T.-Y., Russel, D. W., Mallinckrodt, B., & Liao, K. Y.–H. (2008). Moderating effects of three coping Strategies and self-esteem on perceived discrimination and depressive symptoms: A minority stress model for Asian international students. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 55, 451-462.

51.

Yang, B., & Clum, G. A. (1994). Life stress, social support, and problem-solving skills predictive of depressive symptoms, hopelessness, and suicide ideation in an Asian student population: a test of a model. Suicide and Life Threatening Behavior, 24, 127 -139.

52.

Yeh, C. J. & Inose, M. (2003). International students’ reported English fluency, social support satisfaction, and social connectedness as predictors of acculturative stress. Counseling Psychology Quarterly, 16, 15-28.

53.

Yeh, C. J. & Wang, Y. W. (2000) Asian American coping attitudes, sources, and practices: Implications for indigenous counseling strategies. Journal of College Student Development, 41, 94–103.

54.

Ying, Y. W., & Liese, L. H. (1994). Initial adjustment of Taiwanese students to the United States: The impact of post arrival variable. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 25, 466-477.

55.

Young, F. W., & Hammer, R. M. (1987). Multidimensional scaling: History, theory, and applications. London: Erlbaum.

56.

Zaldivar, D. F. (1996). Conocimiento y dominio del estres. La Habana: Editorial Cientifi-co Tecnica.

57.

Zwingman, C. A. A. (1978). Uprooting and related phenomena: A descriptive bibliotherapy. Geneva: World Health Organization.

Korean Journal of School Psychology