Investigating social and psychological adaptation among international students: A study of factors influencing wellbeing.

Year 2024, , 105 - 115, 27.06.2024

Glorıa Manyeruke , Ebru Tansel

https://doi.org/10.35365/ctjpp.24.2.01

Abstract

The challenges experienced by international students have drawn increasing attention as the body of international students continues to increase globally. The current study investigated the academic, sociocultural and psychological adaptation and well-being of international students in North Cyprus. The sample of 524 students was selected using convenience sampling. The sample comprised of local students, international students from Turkiye and international students from other countries. The study revealed that academic adaptation and proficiency in language of instruction were significant predictors of psychopathology. This emphasizes the value international university students place on academic attainment as their primary goal for migration. Psychopathology and academic adaptation have a dual-causal relationship with each other. The results suggests that ethnicity is linked to mental health outcomes. Students from Turkiye reported higher psychopathology scores than international students from other countries. The research outlined several factors that predict better adaption. Integrative acculturation orientation and higher perceived financial status predicted sociocultural adaption. However, high home culture orientation was predictive of poor psychological adaptation. The research recommends that culture sensitivity psychological support should be made accessible for local and international students to meet their differing adaptive challenges in tertiary education.

Keywords

Acculturation, adaptation, international students, psychopathology, cultural distance

Uluslararası öğrenciler arasında sosyal ve psikolojik uyumun araştırılması: İyi oluşu etkileyen faktörler üzerine bir çalışma.

Abstract

Uluslararası öğrencilerin sayısı küresel olarak arttıkça, uluslararası öğrencilerin yaşadığı zorluklar da giderek daha fazla ilgi çekmektedir. Bu çalışma, Kuzey Kıbrıs'taki uluslararası öğrencilerin akademik, sosyokültürel ve psikolojik uyumlarını ve iyi oluşunu araştırmaktadır. Kolayda örnekleme yöntemi kullanılarak 524 öğrenciden oluşan örneklem seçilmiştir. Örneklem yerel öğrencilerden, Türkiye'den ve diğer ülkelerden gelen uluslararası öğrencilerden oluşmuştur. Çalışma, akademik uyum ve eğitim dilindeki yeterliliğin psikopatolojinin önemli yordayıcıları olduğunu ortaya çıkardı. Bu, uluslararası üniversite öğrencilerinin göç için birincil hedef olarak akademik başarıya verdikleri değeri vurgulamaktadır. Psikopatoloji ve akademik uyum birbiriyle ikili nedensel bir ilişkiye sahiptir. Sonuçlar etnik kökenin zihinsel sağlık sonuçlarıyla bağlantılı olduğunu göstermektedir. Türkiye'den gelen öğrenciler diğer ülkelerden gelen uluslararası öğrencilere göre daha yüksek psikopatoloji puanları bildirdiler. Araştırma, daha iyi adaptasyonu öngören çeşitli faktörleri ortaya koymuştur. Bütünleştirici kültürleşme yönelimi ve daha yüksek algılanan mali durum, sosyokültürel uyumu arttırmaktadır. Yüksek ev kültürü yönelimi, zayıf psikolojik uyumun yordayıcısıdır. Araştırma, yerel ve uluslararası öğrencilerin yükseköğretimdeki farklı uyum zorluklarıyla başa çıkabilmeleri için kültüre duyarlı psikolojik desteğin erişilebilir hale getirilmesi gerektiğini önermektedir.

Keywords

Kültürleşme, uyum, uluslararası öğrenciler, psikopatoloji, kültürel mesafe.

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