Cross-Cultural Adjustment of Chinese Students in Japan: School Adjustment and Educational Support

Abstract

This study investigates Chinese immigrant students‘ cross-cultural and school adjustment issues in Japanese schools. Using a quantitative method, a survey which collected students‘ demographic information, cross-cultural adjustment, and school adjustment questions was administered to 143 Chinese junior high and high school students in Tokyo and Kanagawa Prefecture. The study found the following. First, three factors were identified to be significant in the students‘ cross-cultural adjustment: Language and Acculturation, Academic Achievement, and Adjustment Stress. At the same time, in the area of their school adjustment, Self-efficacy, Academic Disengagement, and Alienation were found to be significant factors. Second, parental support appeared to have a strong influence on their children‘s cross-cultural adjustment and school adjustment. Third, the age of arrival and the length of residence had significant correlations with Language and Acculturation but had no significant correlations with Academic Achievement and Adjustment Stress. Finally, a causal model analysis showed that the patterns of the factors‘ mutual influences are generally in accordance with the authors‘ expectations and the most significant factor was Self-efficacy. The implications of these findings are discussed in relation to supporting Chinese students

Keywords

• Chinese students in Japan, cross-cultural adjustment, school adjustment, selfefficacy, parental support, educational support