{"id":{"repo_id":"emich","oai_identifier":"oai:commons.emich.edu:theses-1895"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/emich/oai:commons.emich.edu:theses-1895","repository":{"repo_id":"emich","name":"Eastern Michigan University","base_url":"https://commons.emich.edu/do/oai/"},"display":{"title":"International students: Culture shock and adaptation to the U.S. culture","abstract":"<p>Annually thousands of international students attend US colleges and universities which requires them to adjust to a new environment, often accompanied by a culture shock experience.</p> <p>This study analyzes to what degree cultural background, gender differences, language proficiency, self-confidence/self-efficacy, and social support networks impact the adjustment process of international students to the US culture.</p> <p>Forty-five international students attending a Michigan community college were surveyed and interviewed to assess the relationship among self-confidence/self-efficacy, cultural background, gender and social support networks. Western students reported more positive cultural adjustment (<em>M</em>=29.0) than non-western students (<em>M</em>=29.0). Males adjusted better (<em>M</em>=29.4) than their female peers (<em>M</em>=25.4). A significant positive correlation was found between cultural adjustment and the experience of culture shock symptoms. English usage of English as a primary language in the students’ home countries accounted for a stronger social support network.</p> <p>These results have implications for college and university personnel in working with international students. </p>","abstract_html":"&lt;p&gt;Annually thousands of international students attend US colleges and universities which requires them to adjust to a new environment, often accompanied by a culture shock experience.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;This study analyzes to what degree cultural background, gender differences, language proficiency, self-confidence/self-efficacy, and social support networks impact the adjustment process of international students to the US culture.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Forty-five international students attending a Michigan community college were surveyed and interviewed to assess the relationship among self-confidence/self-efficacy, cultural background, gender and social support networks. Western students reported more positive cultural adjustment (&lt;em&gt;M&lt;/em&gt;=29.0) than non-western students (&lt;em&gt;M&lt;/em&gt;=29.0). Males adjusted better (&lt;em&gt;M&lt;/em&gt;=29.4) than their female peers (&lt;em&gt;M&lt;/em&gt;=25.4). A significant positive correlation was found between cultural adjustment and the experience of culture shock symptoms. English usage of English as a primary language in the students’ home countries accounted for a stronger social support network.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;These results have implications for college and university personnel in working with international students. &lt;/p&gt;","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Baier, Stefanie Theresia"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Master of Arts (MA)","degree_level":"Open Access Thesis","degree_discipline":"Teacher Education","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Pat Pokay, PhD, Chair","Robert Carpenter, PhD","Joe Bishop, PhD"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2005,"date_issued":"2005-11-15T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2005-11-15T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:16:57Z","subjects":["Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education","Educational Psychology","Higher Education"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://commons.emich.edu/theses/523","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Pat Pokay, PhD, Chair","Robert Carpenter, PhD","Joe Bishop, PhD"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Baier, Stefanie Theresia"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2013-09-25T07:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Teacher Education"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Open Access Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Arts (MA)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education","Educational Psychology","Higher Education"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://commons.emich.edu/theses/523"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["<p>Annually thousands of international students attend US colleges and universities which requires them to adjust to a new environment, often accompanied by a culture shock experience.</p> <p>This study analyzes to what degree cultural background, gender differences, language proficiency, self-confidence/self-efficacy, and social support networks impact the adjustment process of international students to the US culture.</p> <p>Forty-five international students attending a Michigan community college were surveyed and interviewed to assess the relationship among self-confidence/self-efficacy, cultural background, gender and social support networks. Western students reported more positive cultural adjustment (<em>M</em>=29.0) than non-western students (<em>M</em>=29.0). Males adjusted better (<em>M</em>=29.4) than their female peers (<em>M</em>=25.4). A significant positive correlation was found between cultural adjustment and the experience of culture shock symptoms. English usage of English as a primary language in the students’ home countries accounted for a stronger social support network.</p> <p>These results have implications for college and university personnel in working with international students. </p>"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["International students: Culture shock and adaptation to the U.S. culture"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Pat Pokay, PhD, Chair","Robert Carpenter, PhD","Joe Bishop, PhD"],"dc:creator":["Baier, Stefanie Theresia"],"dc:date.available":["2013-09-25T07:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["<p>Annually thousands of international students attend US colleges and universities which requires them to adjust to a new environment, often accompanied by a culture shock experience.</p> <p>This study analyzes to what degree cultural background, gender differences, language proficiency, self-confidence/self-efficacy, and social support networks impact the adjustment process of international students to the US culture.</p> <p>Forty-five international students attending a Michigan community college were surveyed and interviewed to assess the relationship among self-confidence/self-efficacy, cultural background, gender and social support networks. Western students reported more positive cultural adjustment (<em>M</em>=29.0) than non-western students (<em>M</em>=29.0). Males adjusted better (<em>M</em>=29.4) than their female peers (<em>M</em>=25.4). A significant positive correlation was found between cultural adjustment and the experience of culture shock symptoms. English usage of English as a primary language in the students’ home countries accounted for a stronger social support network.</p> <p>These results have implications for college and university personnel in working with international students. </p>"],"dc:identifier":["https://commons.emich.edu/theses/523"],"dc:subject":["Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education","Educational Psychology","Higher Education"],"dc:title":["International students: Culture shock and adaptation to the U.S. culture"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Teacher Education"],"thesis:degree_level":["Open Access Thesis"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Arts (MA)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:16:57Z"}