{"id":{"repo_id":"vcu","oai_identifier":"oai:scholarscompass.vcu.edu:etd-2240"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/vcu/oai:scholarscompass.vcu.edu:etd-2240","repository":{"repo_id":"vcu","name":"Virginia Commonwealth University","base_url":"https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/do/oai/"},"display":{"title":"Social Support during the Academic Transition of International Students in Ph.D. Programs","abstract":"The purpose of this qualitative study was to describe and analyze the mechanisms of social support for international students in Ph.D. programs during an academic transition. Purposive sampling was used to identify participants, two each from the People's Republic of China, India, and Africa. This study employed a phenomenological research method to explore the social support networks that these six students established, the nature of their interactions with the host culture and the effect of social support on academic success. Data collection methods included individual interviews with international students and two staff members from the Office of International Education, one focus group with students and observations in classroom or cultural setting.Three theoretical underpinnings guided this study: cultural dimensions theory (Hofstede, 2001), social capital theory (McClean, Schultz, & Steger, 2002) and the transition theory of Schlossberg, Waters and Goodman (1995). Participant narratives revealed that international students in Ph.D. programs gravitated toward co-nationals because of their common language and culture. Other international students served as an important mechanism of social support because they provided information on how to navigate the university system. Faculty advisors were supportive because they understood the needs of international students while providing opportunities for socialization away from the university setting. Relationships were not occurring with the host culture because cultural differences contributed to the nature of the interactions and there was a perceived lack of empathy from the host culture, both in and out of the classroom. Programs offered through the Office of International Education, including the English Language Program, conversation and friendship partner programs and academic success seminars helped contribute to academic success. This study raises questions such as to what universities can do to promote global awareness and how universities can foster relationships with the host culture.","abstract_html":"The purpose of this qualitative study was to describe and analyze the mechanisms of social support for international students in Ph.D. programs during an academic transition. Purposive sampling was used to identify participants, two each from the People's Republic of China, India, and Africa. This study employed a phenomenological research method to explore the social support networks that these six students established, the nature of their interactions with the host culture and the effect of social support on academic success. Data collection methods included individual interviews with international students and two staff members from the Office of International Education, one focus group with students and observations in classroom or cultural setting.Three theoretical underpinnings guided this study: cultural dimensions theory (Hofstede, 2001), social capital theory (McClean, Schultz, & Steger, 2002) and the transition theory of Schlossberg, Waters and Goodman (1995). Participant narratives revealed that international students in Ph.D. programs gravitated toward co-nationals because of their common language and culture. Other international students served as an important mechanism of social support because they provided information on how to navigate the university system. Faculty advisors were supportive because they understood the needs of international students while providing opportunities for socialization away from the university setting. Relationships were not occurring with the host culture because cultural differences contributed to the nature of the interactions and there was a perceived lack of empathy from the host culture, both in and out of the classroom. Programs offered through the Office of International Education, including the English Language Program, conversation and friendship partner programs and academic success seminars helped contribute to academic success. This study raises questions such as to what universities can do to promote global awareness and how universities can foster relationships with the host culture.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Westin, Deborah A."],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Doctor of Philosophy","degree_level":"Dissertation","degree_discipline":"Educational Studies","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Dr. John A. Rossi"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2007,"date_issued":"2007-01-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2007-01-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T05:55:08Z","subjects":["Graduate students","Doctoral students","Ph.D. programs","Social support","Academic transition","International students","Education"],"languages":[],"rights":["© The Author"],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/etd/1241"],"render_values":[{"text":"https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/etd/1241","href":"https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/etd/1241","code":true}]}]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://doi.org/10.25772/MH91-2Q72","outbound_label":"DOI","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Dr. John A. Rossi"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Westin, Deborah A."]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2014-07-09T07:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Educational Studies"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Dissertation"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Doctor of Philosophy"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Graduate students","Doctoral students","Ph.D. programs","Social support","Academic transition","International students","Education"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["© The Author"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://doi.org/10.25772/MH91-2Q72","https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/etd/1241"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["The purpose of this qualitative study was to describe and analyze the mechanisms of social support for international students in Ph.D. programs during an academic transition. Purposive sampling was used to identify participants, two each from the People's Republic of China, India, and Africa. This study employed a phenomenological research method to explore the social support networks that these six students established, the nature of their interactions with the host culture and the effect of social support on academic success. Data collection methods included individual interviews with international students and two staff members from the Office of International Education, one focus group with students and observations in classroom or cultural setting.Three theoretical underpinnings guided this study: cultural dimensions theory (Hofstede, 2001), social capital theory (McClean, Schultz, & Steger, 2002) and the transition theory of Schlossberg, Waters and Goodman (1995). Participant narratives revealed that international students in Ph.D. programs gravitated toward co-nationals because of their common language and culture. Other international students served as an important mechanism of social support because they provided information on how to navigate the university system. Faculty advisors were supportive because they understood the needs of international students while providing opportunities for socialization away from the university setting. Relationships were not occurring with the host culture because cultural differences contributed to the nature of the interactions and there was a perceived lack of empathy from the host culture, both in and out of the classroom. Programs offered through the Office of International Education, including the English Language Program, conversation and friendship partner programs and academic success seminars helped contribute to academic success. This study raises questions such as to what universities can do to promote global awareness and how universities can foster relationships with the host culture."]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Social Support during the Academic Transition of International Students in Ph.D. Programs"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Dr. John A. Rossi"],"dc:creator":["Westin, Deborah A."],"dc:date.available":["2014-07-09T07:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["The purpose of this qualitative study was to describe and analyze the mechanisms of social support for international students in Ph.D. programs during an academic transition. Purposive sampling was used to identify participants, two each from the People's Republic of China, India, and Africa. This study employed a phenomenological research method to explore the social support networks that these six students established, the nature of their interactions with the host culture and the effect of social support on academic success. Data collection methods included individual interviews with international students and two staff members from the Office of International Education, one focus group with students and observations in classroom or cultural setting.Three theoretical underpinnings guided this study: cultural dimensions theory (Hofstede, 2001), social capital theory (McClean, Schultz, & Steger, 2002) and the transition theory of Schlossberg, Waters and Goodman (1995). Participant narratives revealed that international students in Ph.D. programs gravitated toward co-nationals because of their common language and culture. Other international students served as an important mechanism of social support because they provided information on how to navigate the university system. Faculty advisors were supportive because they understood the needs of international students while providing opportunities for socialization away from the university setting. Relationships were not occurring with the host culture because cultural differences contributed to the nature of the interactions and there was a perceived lack of empathy from the host culture, both in and out of the classroom. Programs offered through the Office of International Education, including the English Language Program, conversation and friendship partner programs and academic success seminars helped contribute to academic success. This study raises questions such as to what universities can do to promote global awareness and how universities can foster relationships with the host culture."],"dc:identifier":["https://doi.org/10.25772/MH91-2Q72","https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/etd/1241"],"dc:rights":["© The Author"],"dc:subject":["Graduate students","Doctoral students","Ph.D. programs","Social support","Academic transition","International students","Education"],"dc:title":["Social Support during the Academic Transition of International Students in Ph.D. Programs"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Educational Studies"],"thesis:degree_level":["Dissertation"],"thesis:degree_name":["Doctor of Philosophy"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T05:55:08Z"}