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Virginia Tech

Acculturation Stress and Alcohol Use Among International College Students in a U.S. Community College Setting

Abstract

dc:description.abstract

Alcohol use among international students in a U.S. community college setting was explored in regard to the interrelationships with acculturation stress and drinking motivations. Misuse of alcohol has been acknowledged as a serious problem on American college campuses. A positive relationship between stress and alcohol use has been documented among those who lack internal and external resources and support systems. International students have been recognized as higher-risk than other college students due to acculturation stress. However, very few studies have investigated the drinking behaviors of this population. To fill this research gap, a survey was conducted with non-immigrant international students (F-1 students) (N = 126) and immigrants international students (non-F-1 students) (N = 136) enrolled in English as a Second Language (ESL) programs in a U.S. community college. The results, which were derived from responses to three published instruments, Index of Life Stress (ILS), Core Alcohol and Drug Survey (CADS) Community College Long Form, and Revised Drinking Motivation Questionnaire (DMQ-R), as well as the researcher-made demographic information sheet, indicated that these groups were not engaged in abusive drinking behavior. This finding may reflect the support systems available to these students in an ESL setting and their family/friend networks. However, moderately strong zero-order correlations between acculturation stress and drinking motives to control negative affects were revealed. Further discussions and implication are provided.

Degree

thesis:*
Name thesis:degree_name
Ph. D.
Level thesis:degree_level
doctoral
Discipline thesis:degree_discipline
Education
Department dc:contributor.department
Education
Grantor dc:publisher
Virginia Tech
Year dc:date.issued
2005

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Author dc:creator
  • Koyama, Chieko
Chairs dc:contributor.committeechair
  • Bodenhorn, Nancy E.
  • Belli, Gabriella M.
Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember
  • Lawson, Gerard F.
  • Madison-Colmore, Octavia D.
  • Ng, Kok-Mun

Subjects

dc:subject × 4

Rights

dc:rights
Statement dc:rights
  • In Copyright

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
Dc Identifier Other
etd-09262005-135714
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/29103

Chain of custody

source
Harvested from
Virginia Tech
Base URL
vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/oai/request
Last updated
2026-07-22
Source record
OAI-PMH GetRecord
citation

Koyama, Chieko. Acculturation Stress and Alcohol Use Among International College Students in a U.S. Community College Setting. doctoral thesis, Virginia Tech, 2005. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/29103