A Phenomenological Study of Cultural Transition and Adjustment of Asian Undergraduate International Students Using Different Cross-Cultural Treatments

When studying abroad, international students face a series of transitional difficulties impacting academic, social, and professional success. In particular, Eastern Asian international students who comprise over 42% of all international students in the U.S., experience more cross-cultural adaptation distress compared to other international student groups. The purpose of this study was to examine the pre-departure and post-arrival cultural knowledge, transition, and adjustment of Eastern Asian undergraduate international students who completed a pre-departure cultural preparation treatment or received the university's standard international student services at a western U.S. research university. To better understand international students' experiences, this phenomenological study investigated themes discovered within international student narratives by collecting qualitative data including three in-person interviews, seven student written journal reflections, a student survey, and two cultural reports. The findings of this study expand cross-cultural training and international education research by showing that Eastern Asian undergraduate international students gained cultural knowledge, awareness, sensitivity, and competency from a four-week pre-departure cross-cultural treatment to which they applied during their transition and adjustment at a western U.S. research university to better manage cross-cultural differences.

Level thesis:degree_level

Doctorate Degree

Year dc:date.issued

2014

Author dc:creator

• Madden-Dent, Tara

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Laden, Rita M.

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Usinger, Janet
• Miltenberger, Patricia K
• Cannon, John
• Urza, Carmelo

• Cross-cultural Adaptation
• Cross-cultural Training
• Cultural Adjustment
• International Education
• International Student Success
• Pre-departure Training

Statement dc:rights

• In Copyright(All Rights Reserved)

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/11714/2895

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:scholarwolf.unr.edu:11714/2895