Download or read book Effects of Social Support Networks in Cross-cultural Adaptation of International Students in the United States written by Maria Dolores Molina Davila and published by . This book was released on 2014 with total page 162 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The rise in international student enrollment in the United States and the goal of creating multicultural campuses has prompted the need to further the study of cross-cultural adaptation. This study investigates the influence of social support networks in the adaptation process of international students through a relational regulation perspective (Lakey & Orehek, 2011). International students from two southwestern universities were surveyed. Data was analyzed using regression analysis. In contrast to past literature (Bochner, McLeod, & Lin, 1977; Furnham & Alibhai, 1985), commonly using a stress-buffering approach, perceived balance social support did not predict acculturative stress. Furthermore, there was a correlation between the strength of the conational friend network and acculturative stress for students that have been in the United States the longest. However, these students had a lower overall conational friend network on average. Results of this study suggest the conational network is also important for the final stages of adaptation. Finally, the collectivism/individualism worldview dimension was important when analyzing the preferred social support network of students as collectivism influenced the strength of the conational friend and American friend social support networks. However, individualism did not significantly influence the strength of any social support network. Additionally, collectivism was also related to higher levels of acculturative stress. Overall, this study reinforces Kim and Ruben's (1987) Stress-Adaptation-Growth Model as stress and growth are seen as integrated in the adaptation process. The fact that a balanced social support networks did not indicate a variation in acculturative stress does not mean participants will not adapt to the new environment, as stress is a major component during the acculturation process. This study raises the need to study international student's social support networks through a relational regulation perspective. Using this approach will also serve to analyze the role of each social support network through time.