When the Fog Dissipates: A study on cross-cultural adjustment of international students studying in the U.S.

Cross-Cultural Adjustment 1

The Pennsylvania State University

The Graduate School

Program in Counselor Education

When the Fog Dissipates: A study on cross-cultural adjustment of international students

studying in the United States

A Master’s Paper in

Counselor Education

by

Sejal Mehta

Submitted in Partial Fulfillment

of the Requirements

for the Degree of

Master of Education

July 6, 2000

Approved by _______________________________

Title______________________________________

Date______________________________________

Abstract

The increasing number of international students studying in the United States presents a

need to understand the cross-cultural adjustment issues of these students. This paper

begins with an explanation of the term culture shock followed by a discussion of Adle r’s

five-stage model of culture shock. The results of a web-based survey administered at the

Pennsylvania State University follows with a discussion on the implications of the

results. The paper concludes with suggestions and recommendations to ease the transition

for international students.


Every year many students leave their home country and enter the “New

Continent”, the United States of America, with hopes for a new life and future. During

their long journey to the U.S., these students have had varied experiences, both pleasant

and unpleasant. Irrespective of the type of journey, the students are usually ambitious and

hopeful in their new surroundings. For these students, where everything is so new, it is

sometimes trying and difficult to make the adjustment to the new place, environment, and

culture. Even though the geographic focus of this paper is the United States, the country

with the world’s largest international student population, the cross-cultural adjustment

issues that are discussed are truly global in character and scope.

This paper is a descriptive study on the cultural adjustment of international

students when they come to study in the United States. The paper will begin with a

detailed explanation of the term culture shock followed by Adler’s model on the five

stages of culture shock. The various factors related to culture shock, and its impact, as

seen in the present literature will then be discussed. A web-based survey administered at

The Pennsylvania State University to assess the initial 4- month transition by international

students will follow, and continue with the implication of the results. The results of the

survey will also be discussed in comparison to the first stage of Adler’s theory. The paper

concludes with suggestions and recommendations to ease the transition for international

students.

Cultural Adjustment – Need for the study

Today, international educational exchange – the movement of students and

scholars across national boundaries – is a phenomena in countries throughout the world


(Paige, 1990). International students can be defined as individuals who temporarily reside

in a country other than their country of citizenship or country of permanent residence in

order to participate in international education as students (Paige, 1990). The number of

foreign students studying in the United States is increasing rapidly. In 1998-1999

academic year, nearly 500,000 international students studied in the United States at the

post-secondary level. (NAFSA: Association of International Education, 2000).

International students now account for 3 % of the total enrollment in higher education,

bringing in an estimated $13 billion into the U.S economy in payments for tuition, room,

and board. (Desruisseaux, 1999). Internationa l students gain an in-depth exposure to

American values being in American classrooms, dormitories, and living rooms. They also

enrich American campuses and provide many American students with their first-ever

exposure to foreign friends and colleagues (NAFSA: Association of International

Education, 2000). Having international students study in the U.S is beneficial to both the

international students and the domestic students. Given the number of foreign students as

well as the benefits they bring, assisting these students in adapting to the new culture will

help make it a more productive experience for all.

Culture Shock

The process of initial adjustment to an unfamiliar environment is called culture

shock (Pederson, 1995). Culture shock has traditionally been thought of as a form of

anxiety that results from misunderstanding of commonly perceived signs and symbols of

social interaction (Adler, 1975). The term culture shock was first described by Kalvero

Oberg (1960), as a state of anxiety resulting from no t knowing what to do in a new


culture. This anxiety can result in simply vague discomfort to even profound

disorientation. Culture shock is also viewed as an “occupational disease” suffered by

people who are introduced to a culture that is very different from their own and can result

in stress involving symptoms such as anxiety, irritability, hopelessness, and a longing for

a more predictable environment (Church, 1982). In a broad sense, culture shock applies

to any situation where an individual is required to adjust to an unfamiliar social system

where previous learning no longer applies (Pederson, 1995). This adaptation made by

individuals when they move between cultures is a relatively new area of study. This study

seeks to understand continuities and changes in individual behavior that are related to the

experience of two cultures through the process of acculturation (Berry, 1990).

Since culture shock is a combination of personal as well as environmental

characteristics, it is hard to explain the experience of cultural adjustment and therefore

difficult to make generalizations. The experience of culture shock is very subjective and

difficult to convey in any objective form. Furthermore the student population, which

could be experiencing culture shock, is so diverse and varied that the reasons a student

could be having difficulty in adjusting to a new culture cannot be easily categorized. The

individual’s attitude and experience in the host culture can be related to various previous

experiences in the individual’s life. The coping mechanisms a student may use in making

the adjustment faster and easier vary depending on personality and experience.

Stages of Culture Shock

Oberg (1960) can be credited with introducing the term culture shock. Although

several theories have been developed over time describing the stages of culture shock,


theory developed Adler (1975) will be used in this paper. Adler, who viewed the cultural

adjustment as a transitional experience reflecting a movement from low cultural

awareness to high cultural awareness within a different culture, developed a five-staged

theory of culture shock. Adler’s theory was based on Oberg’s theory and emphasizes both

the positive and negative consequences during the stages. The different stages of the

theory are:

Honeymoon Stage

The newly arrived students experience curiosity much like a tourist. The

emotions experienced are typically excitement, stimulation, and curiosity and hence the

behaviors in this stage are also guided by curiosity, interest, and self-assurance

(Pederson, 1995). The student’s basic identity is still rooted to the previous home

environment. As a result, the student is more attuned to cultural similarities and

intentionally deselects cultural differences (Church, 1982). Similarities between the new

culture and home culture tend to become validations of the student’s own cultural status.

Such validations serve as reinforcement for the continuation of the student’s own cultural

behavior (Adler, 1975). These students usually have a very good time and feel little fear

or apprehension about the host culture. The encounter is viewed more as the end point

rather than the beginning of a new developmental changing process. In effect, the few

inconveniences that are encountered are just viewed as adventure (Pederson, 1995). The

honeymoon stage is said to last for approximately three months and is characterized by

great pleasure in discovering and mastering new things. The first stage can be described

as one where the differences are intriguing and perceptions are positive.


Disintegration Stage

This stage involves the disintegration of all familiar cues and the students become

overwhelmed by the new culture’s requirements. This second stage of transition is

marked by a period of confusion and disorientation (Adler, 1975). These students

typically blame themselves for their own failures and inability to adapt to the new

culture. The emotions experienced are tension, depression, confusion, and withdrawal

(Church, 1982). Students may withdraw into themselves, thinking, “it is my fault, I am

unable to adapt here”. A sense of confusion and disorientation with differences between

home and host culture become very noticeable. The students may experience an acute

sense of profound loss and disorientation regarding what can be expected of others and

what others expect of them. Students in this stage experience pain and helplessness. Due

to their self-perception, they often believe themselves to be at fault and are unlikely to

seek outside help (Pederson, 1995). These students feel a sense of inadequacy for any

difficulties encountered.

Reintegration Stage

This stage is characterized by strong rejection of the second culture (Adler, 1975).

The students use defense mechanisms, such as keeping to themselves or concentrating

only on academics, to portray personal difficulties and limit relationships to fellow

nationals (Church, 1982). The anger that was directed inward during the disintegration

stage now directed outward at others who are perceived to be blamed for the situation

(Pederson, 1995). Frequently students will blame the persons in the host culture for the

students’ own cultural adjustment problems, with less sympathy and more hostility


towards their host culture. As a result these students are likely to depend on stereotyped

generalizations to evaluate and judge the host culture person’s behavior and attitude.

These students are heard saying “I am normal, it is the Americans. They don’t know what

it means to be friends, they don’t understand the foreigners etc.” In this stage the attitude

changes from “it is my fault” to “it is their fault”. During this “blaming the environment”

stage, students unconsciously make a choice to move closer to resolution and personal

growth, or regress to earlier phases. Therefore this stage can be viewed as the most

volatile stage. The positive aspects of this stage are the growing awareness of contact

with the host culture and an ability to express feelings about the their experiences.

Students in this stage tend to interpret their experiences in alternatives of good and bad,

with the home culture being good and the host culture being bad (Pederson, 1995).

The Autonomy Stage

This stage is marked by increased sensitivity and understanding toward the host

culture. The students who emerge from the detachment of the first stage, the self-blame

of the second stage, and the hostility of the third stage are now in a position to build a

new perspective on their former identity and the new host culture (Pederson, 1995).

These students have an increased ability to see the good and bad elements of both the old

and new cultures. The need for defensiveness as seen in the previous stage diminishes.

The student is able to move into new situations with greater awareness of self and others.

The emotions in this stage lean toward self-assurance, more relaxed attitude,

increased warmth in one’s relationships to others, and the ability for emphatic caring.

These emotions lead to behaviors related to a sense of independence, like independent


decisions, sense of being in control, and increased self-confidence (Pederson, 1995).

Students in this stage are more tolerant of themselves as well as of the host culture.

Independence stage

Students experience increased self and cultural awarene ss that enables the

individuals to undergo further life transitions and to discover additional ways to explore

human diversity (Church, 1982). These students have ideally achieved the understanding

of two cultures, or are comfortable relating to both old and new cultures. Since these

students are able to appreciate both cultures, accept cultural differences, and relativism;

their behavior is expressive, creative, mutually trusting, and sensitive. Even though these

students may still have differences from the host culture in a variety of ways, those

differences do not control these students’ identity any longer. The self-actualizing nature

of the final stage implies that the individual who has reached this stage should be

prepared for another cross-cultural experience.

Though Adler developed his theory from Oberg’s theory, Oberg made no explicit

prediction of adjustment in future cross-cultural experiences (Church, 1982). In fact,

some controversy exists in whether this stage is an unattainable ideal, or do people

actually reach this stage? (Pederson, 1995). Even though the stages have been stated

sequentially, students could go back and forth in the array of stages, they may even

regress back to a stage a few times. In one sense, culture shock is a form of alienation, in

another sense, it suggests an attempt to comprehend, survive in, and grow through

immersion in a second culture (Adler, 1975). The duration of each stage varies from

student to student depending on individual circumstances.


Factors related to culture shock

Some success has been obtained in predicting cross-cultural adjustment based on

background and demographic characteristics. Substantial support exists to show a

positive relationship between language proficiency and the amount of social interaction

with host nationals. The relationship between language fluency and cross-cultural

adjustment appears a natural and reciprocal one. Greater language proficiency results in

more confidence and greater participation, this leads to improved command of the host

language. Being more proficient also allows for more participation in social activities

with host nationals (Church. 1982).

A relationship between age and academic level has consistently shown that

younger students have more contact and social interaction with host nationals. On the

other hand, older students seem to have more general satisfaction with their academics.

But older and younger students are typically referred to graduate and undergraduate

respectively indicating the relationship has more to do with level of study rather than age

(Church, 1982). Based on the little research that exists, evidence supports the fact that

female foreign students report greater adjustment problems than male students. One

indication to support why female adjustment problems occur may be due to the very

traditional and conservative roles women have in some cultures. These roles are quite

different from the more liberal attitudes exhibited in the United States. At this point more

study is needed to understand the relationship between gender differences and cultural

adjustment (Church, 1982).


From early studies evidence exists that nationality did play an important role in

foreign student adjustment, also, indicating that differences in coping mechanisms to

handle culture shock depended on nationality (Church, 1982). The general assumption

has been that students coming from cultures similar to the host culture have the least

difficulty in adjusting. For example, students from Canada and Western Europe are

consistently found to be more socially involved with the U.S. and report fewer

adjustment problems since their culture is considered similar to the U.S. culture. (Church,

1982). If the home culture that a student is accustomed to is very different from the host

culture, then the adjustment is predicted to be more difficult (Church, 1982). Another

dynamic, based on the network of students in the United States from the home country,

might make the transition easier, implying that students of that particular na tionality

adjust faster. The reason they adjust faster is because of the support network, and does

not mean their home cultures are similar to the US culture; in fact, may even be very

different. Such instances of different cultures with rapid adjustment can be seen in

Chinese and Indian students where the support groups and networks are so large. This

adjustment is facilitated faster, in spite of relatively different cultures.

The different indices of adjustment need to be distinguished. These indices are (a)

extent of social interaction with host nationals, (b) attitudes of the individuals towards

home and host cultures, (c) home culture patterns. Based on stereotypical ideas in their

home regarding the culture in the United States, students may have lots of resistance to

the U.S. culture, especially if they have had a negative image. Students who have a more

open attitude might be less resistant and more adjusting. Nationality and its relationship


to the host culture is complicated and more research into this area is needed to understand

the impact nationality has on cultural adjustment (Church, 1982).

A common assumption is that previous exposure to different cultures will

facilitate the adjustment process. Previous exposure sometimes tends to reinforce

stereotypes and defense mechanisms that may inhibit adjustment. So the nature and

quality of previous cultural exposure may be more important than the quantitative amount

of earlier exposure (Church, 1982).

In addition, the individualism and collectivism nature of a culture also plays a role

in cross-cultural adjustment. Individualism is characterized by the subordination of a

group’s goal to a person’s individual goals. Individuals subordinating their personal goals

to the goals of some collectives (Triandis, Brislin, & Hui, 1988) characterize

collectivism. Individualism is assumed to be a relatively stable and important attribute in

the United States, while collectivism is associated with Africa, Asia, and Latin America

(Triandis et al, 1988). Since more than half of all foreign students in the U.S. are from

Asia (Desruisseaux, 1999), the importance of understanding the adjustment required from

a collective culture to an individual culture, how that facilitates the cultural adjustment

and vice versa wo uld be beneficial.

Some success has been obtained in predicting the transition, particularly with

language proficiency, academic level, and nationality. A need still exists for more

research and study in the areas of gender and previous foreign travel and their

relationship to the adjustment process.


Cross-cultural adjustment is seen as a combination of various factors and the

transition can go through various stages. The initial adjustment process is one of the

hardest stages to cross. To assess this initial transition of international students, a web-

based survey was conducted at main campus and three branch campuses of The

Pennsylvania State University.

Methodology

Participants

The total sample size for this study was 2000 current international students that

included the students enrolled at University Park (main campus) and three branch

campuses, Altoona, Behrend, and Harrisburg. Out of the total, 150 students responded to

the survey. The students had to be full time and currently enrolled to partic ipate in the

study.

Procedures and Instrumentation

In the spring semester of 2000, the web-based survey (Appendix 1) was sent to the

participants. The survey was developed and designed by the author using HTML coding

The URL was sent by email to the students to access the survey. A storage site was

established allowing the students to access, fill out the survey, and submit it. Students

were given ten days time to respond. The designed was such that the results of the

submitted survey would be received as an email by the author. It was developed to

predominantly assess four areas:


1. The initial help that students used in getting oriented and settling down at the

University

2. The adjustment that students found hardest to make

3. The feelings that students experienced during their first four months at Penn State

University or at one of the branch campuses referenced.

4. The emotional support that students reached out to and used in their initial

adjustment to the University.

The survey was divided into 3 parts. Part 1 consisted of demographic information,

part 2 consisted questions addressing the four areas referenced above, and part 3 was

student suggestions for the university and recommendations for new international

students.

The demographic part requested the following information from each participant:

gender, year of birth, country of origin, marital status, level of study, program of study,

previous travel abroad and did they receive financial aid or not. Part 2 of the survey asked

specific questions relating to the four distinct areas reviewed. For this part, students were

allowed to have multiple choices in their responses. Part 3 consisted of student

suggestions and recommendations for the university and international students,

respectively.

Data Analysis

The data were input into a spreadsheet. A frequency count was made for each

response to the above four areas. A descriptive summary was made on the data collected

in part 3. This analysis was used to interpret, to process the implications of the results, to


evaluate possible suggestions and recommendations expressed by the participating

students.

Results

Demographic Information - Overview

A total of 150 students responded to the survey. Out of the 150 participants, 96

were male and 54 were female. The average age of the participants was 26 years and

ranged from 19 years to 42 years. A total of 123 of the students were single and 27 were

married. Of the 27 married students, five were unaccompanied, 15 were accompanied by

their spouse, and seven were accompanied by both their spouse and children. Participants

represented 41 different countries; 41 were from India, 14 from China, nine from Korea,

six each from Cyprus and England, five each from Taiwan and Turkey, and four each

from Australia, Argentina, Thailand and Germany. One, two or three participants

represented the other 30 countries. Maximum number of students, 68 were doctoral

students followed 41 students pursuing a Masters degree, 36 were undergraduate students

and two and three participants were exchange and non-degree students respectively. The

students represented a variety of programs of study with 55 from the Engineering school,

20 were from the Business school, 16 each from Eberly college of Science and Liberal

Art majors, 12 were from Earth and Mineral sciences. The remaining 31 students

represented other programs of study. A large number, 105 students had traveled abroad

before and only 45 had not. Many students did get financial assistance with 90 students

having some form of financial aid and 57 did not have any funding from the university.


Survey Results

Table 1

Initial help in getting oriented and settling down to the University

Initial University Help Number of Students

International Students Office 79
Other Students 67
Internationa l Students 55
Faculty / Advisors 52
Student groups and Organizations 23
Other 23
Did not need or use any help 14

Table 2

The adjustment students found hardest to make

Adjustment Difficulty Number of Students
Making Friends 56
Language 53
Academics 44
Attitudes of the local people 43
Missing home (home sickness) 36
No adjustment difficulty 33
Department and Advisors 23
Other 20


Table 3

The Feelings Experienced

Feelings Experienced Number of Students

Excited 66
Happiness 63
Confused 62
Sadness 43
Depressed 43
Disoriented 39
Thrilled 25
No particular feelings 21
Other 16

Table 4

Emotional Support students reached out to and used

Emotional Support Number of Students

Talking and being with friends 103
Talking to family or relatives back home 73
(phone or email)
Talking to family or relatives in the U.S 42
Talking to faculty / advisors 33
Did not look for support 30
Joining different organizations 21
Other 6
Talking to a Professional Counselor 5
Talking to a Foreign Student Advisor 4

Summation of survey results

As seen in Table 1, in getting oriented and settling down, the findings of this

study indicates that most students found the International Students Office and other

students very helpful. As shown in Table 2, students found making friends and the

language the hardest adjustments they encountered. Table 3 indicates that the students

were very excited and happy, about being in the new environment, but were confused

with all that was happening. Table 4 on emotional support students used in adjusting to

the new culture shows that most students found talking and being with friends the best

way to ease with their feelings. Many students also found talking to family and relatives

back home helpful.

Discussion

In settling down and getting oriented to the university, a majority of the students

seemed to use the help of the International Students Office (ISO) and other students in

the university; this included both international and national students. Some student

comments were:

?? I really enjoyed the help from the International Students Office and the

orientation events as I made friends who I will know for life. Meeting them

helped me to settle down to more of a routine.

?? I really liked the initial week of orientation it really helps a lot.

?? Knowing that the International Students office exists if I need something really

urgent is good. Also the fact that there were other international students who

I could relate to was good.

As much as students used the help of the International Students Office many

students commented that their friends whom they already knew at Penn State University

really helped them.

?? My friends already here.

?? Friends who are studying at Penn State University


The International Students Office provides helps in various ways but the

information and help they can give is more general rather than specific, as was stated by

one student.

?? It really depends on what kind help. ISO can offer some help about some

general information rather than specified ones.

In addition to ISO and other students, many students used the help of faculty and

advisors. Using faculty help could be more for academic assistance rather than general

adjustment help. And, since academics is the purpose of being at a university, adjusting

to that does ease the transition for many students and makes the whole adjustment

process easier. These students found it helpful to use faculty help in settling down

academically. The transition to the American system of education was one of the hardest

adjustments many students had to make. As students commented,

?? The American system of Education was so different from what we are used to

back home.

?? I don't feel adjusted yet to the pace of the classes here and the tremendous

amount of homework .

Most students did not take or use the help of student groups or organizations. The

reason for not using such organizations could be attributed to lack of awareness of these

groups which was also seen in some of the remarks made by the students.

?? There are organizations and groups that can help, but students are unaware

of them so increase awareness so students can use the organizations.


?? Appointing members from student organization at the orientation so students

are aware.

The two areas that students found most difficulty in adjusting to were making

friends and adjusting to the language. Language problems tended to affect students

socially also, as they were self-conscious in speaking English. One student suggested

?? Don’t stick to your own people because of language problems that make you

self-conscious.

The only way for students to overcome the language barrier is to be made aware

of the language usage and requirements before coming to study so they can prepare as

much as possible ahead of time in their home country; this will ease the language

problem considerably. With regards to making friends, the results were contradictory.

One of the frequent suggestions was to make friends, spend time and share your feelings

with them. Most of the students talked and spent time with friends as their means of

emotional support; but, at the same time, students indicated that making friends is one of

the hardest adjustments to make. Some of the remarks made by the students implied that

students find it hard to make friends either outside of their departments, with American

friends, or with friends who were not from their home country. Cultural differences

remains one of the biggest problems that international students encounter in making

American friends

?? Making friends still is hard: whiteness dazzles initially.

?? Making of friends outside of department is really hard


?? Language is my main problem. I hope people who talk to me will correct me

that way my language will improve and I will make more friends faster.

?? I cannot make American friends because they have different interests”

Some student suggested that the university help in making friends

?? The university should help students make friends.

?? I think newcomers need more specific information about how to live in US.

Some examples include how to make friends in US, etc.

These comments imply that students do find it difficult to make friends and do

feel the need to have friends.

In terms of feelings experienced by the students, the overall results indicated

excitement and happiness on the one hand, and confusion on the other. The confusion is

understandable in all the adjustment that the students are making culturally,

academically, and with the language. According to Adler’s theory of culture shock, the

first stage is called the honeymoon stage and is characterized by excitement and euphoria

(Pederson, 1995). Such excitement was clearly seen in the students, they were very

excited and the curiosity of seeing and learning new things was enjoyable. Though

students at this stage might have been seeing cultural differences, these differences are

seen more with novelty rather than an adjustment issue. While some students felt

overwhelmed and stressed, a few students talked about being depressed and disoriented.

?? Don't miss the orientation week! Enjoy and learn from the experiences that

are new and different.

?? I was exhausted, feeling down sometimes, but I was also eager to learn more.


At this stage all the newness leads to curiosity and there is the joy of discovering.

This stage is also characterized by great pleasures in discovering and mastering new

things (Pederson, 1995).

The theory also states that initially an excitement exists but after the first three to

four months students do go through tougher adjustment issues and eventually overcome

them. Students’ comments were consistent with the theory

?? Initially it was tough, but once I got over the adjustment, the experience has

been very rewarding for me.

?? I would advise new international students to expect to have certain difficulties

adjusting to the experience. Once the initial excitement and novelty of being

in a different country has worn off, there will be a difficult adjustment period

during which you wont be able to stop yourself comparing anything and

everything to the way things are done in your home country. Being able to

accept this, rather than ignoring it and talking to other international students

here, as well as friends and family at home can provide an immense amount of

help. Talking with other people here lets you know that everyone is

experiencing the same thing. Also, once you make it past the tougher stage,

things get a lot better and its very easy to feel very welcome and extremely at

home at Penn State. So much so - that you won’t want to go home when the

time comes around!

The results also indicated that the two methods the majority of students used for

emotional support were talking and being with friends, and talking to family back home.


Very few students reported talking to a Foreign Student Advisor or seeking the

help of professional counselors. Not using the help of professional counselors could be

attributed to cultural differences. In many countries, people rely on their families rather

counselors for their problems and for support, and hence might have resistance in seeing

one here. Another possible reason for not using professional counseling could be a lack

of awareness of such services. Some students joined different organizations, but from

their comments it appeared to be more to meet people, make frie nds and that helped them

feel supported.

Suggestions and Recommendations

The “initial experience” is a trying time for students coming from different

countries. The expectations vary from person to person, and staff may struggle to meet

the needs of all types of students. The experiences vary and can range to both extremes.

One student commented

?? I never felt as bad in my life as I felt here during the first semester. I was told it

was going to be bad, but no one can ever describe to you how bad it turns out to

be. I had a mixture of feelings unknown to me before coming to Penn State. After I

made it through the first semester I knew it was going to get better. At that

point you have the certainty that you cannot go any further down, I could not talk

about the things I had been experiencing.

Other students had more positive experiences like

?? I had no cultural shock, but then I think I was a bit more aware of life outside

my home country!


Analyzing the different experiences and feelings, one cannot generalize what most

students feel, or how to help them adjust and feel better. Overall, the following

suggestions were made by students to the Penn State University for help in addition to

what the International Students Office is currently doing

?? The orientation sessions can be improved to a great extent and emphasis should

be given in smaller group sessions rather than lectures.

?? Give more time for orientation, teach relevant necessary skills like accessing

books from a computer, how to use the library etc.

The above suggestions were specific to the orientation program and such suggestions

are understandable, as the period is very overwhelming. Based on their learning style

back home, students may have a preference for the kind of orientation sessions they may

benefit the maximum from. If the orientation program cannot take care of certain

practical issues these could be delegated to individual departments, for example, “how to

use the library” could be an issue for all students and not specific to international students

only.

Most students found it beneficial and helpful if they knew somebody already

studying in Penn State before arriving at the university; preferably, somebody from their

home country. One suggestion in this regard could be having some sort of a mentoring

program where students at Pennsylvania State University could volunteer to help 5-6

students. If possible, students could be assigned to a mentor from their home country.

Also providing a list of students from various countries so that the new students could get

in touch directly. A final suggestion was to have more gatherings for international


students as well as both international students and such social activities should be spread

over the year.

In summary the suggestions by these students for the university were

1. Have programs by academic departments also to assist international students.

2. Have a mentoring program.

3. Send out a list of students from the different countries currently studying in the

University.

4. Have social gatherings over the year and not just at the time of joining.

Recommendations to new International Students

Many students, who responded to the survey, stressed the need for students to

become more self-sufficient back home and not rely on family and friends as much.

Being more self-sufficient and less dependent would help them in adjusting to the

individualism culture in the U.S., which is different from the collectivism nature of other

cultures.

?? To tell them that US schools are not the way the Media pictures them. People

are individualistic and competitive as opposed to our own cultures.

A large number of students stressed the need to meet people, make friends and

talk out their feelings with close friends. Students also recommended not to stay home, or

keep to themselves, instead go out, join organizations and make the most of the

opportunities available. The important aspect is to be aware of cultural differences. At the

same time keep an open mind; don’t blame others or yourself for cultural differences.

Accept such differences.


One comment from a student summarizes the adjustment process,

?? “Adjustment" means being mature to recognize differences and still accept

yourself just the way you are. In that sense, cultural adjustment is not only

international students' problem. Everybody faces this problem more or less.

Conclusion

As mentioned in the beginning culture shock is a subjective issue, and without

much research and study, specific solutions to the issue have not been reached. Even with

more study the challenge will always remain in understanding the experience of culture

shock with such a diverse foreign student body. Presently foreign students presently are a

large component of the U.S education system contributing to the diversity of the

campuses and contributing towards the country’s growth and prosperity. Any effort in

making the experience worthwhile for the students would be beneficial to the country in

addition to the students. Whether expressed openly or not, whether aware or unaware the

transition is a difficult one and any assistance to these students will be welcome.

This researcher has heard students going through the adjustment say

?? It was as if there was a fog around me. Things were going wrong. My

expectations were unmet, yet I still could not figure out what exactly caused it.

Only after a while, when the fog dissipated, and I looked at the remains, could

I see what I had experienced was Culture Shock!

The transition into a new culture is a hard and occasionally an inevitable process. But

once the challenge is crossed, the process can be very rewarding. After the fog dissipates,

one finds the strength of his or her own wings.


References

Adler, P. S. (1975). The transitional experience: An alternative view of culture

shock. Journal of Humanistic Psyc hology, 15(4), 13-23

Church, A. T. (1982). Sojourner adjustment. Psychological Bulletin, vol 91, 540-

572

Desruisseaux, P. (1999). Foreign students contribute to flock to the U.S. [On-

line]. Available: http://chronicle.com/stats/foremain.htm

NAFSA: Association of International Educators (February 22, 2000). Toward an

international education policy for the United States [On- line]. Available:

http://www.nafsa.org/int-ed/22200.html.

Paige, R. Michael. [Chapter] Brislin, Richard W. (Ed), et al. (1990). International

students: Cross-cultural psychological perspectives. Applied cross-cultural psychology.

Cross-cultural research and methodology series, 14, 161-185. Newbury Park, CA, USA:

Sage Publications, Inc. 367 pp

Triandis, H. C., Brislin, R., & Hui, C. H. (1988). Cross-cultural training across the

individualism-collectivism divide. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 12.

269-288

Pederson, P. (1995). The five stages of culture shock: critical incidents around the

world. Westport, Conn. Greenwood Press


Appendix 1

When the Fog Dissipates: A study on the Cross-Cultural Adjustment of the International
students studying the United States of America

Contact Person
Sejal Mehta
240 Beam Building
State College, PA 16802
(814)863-3458
ssm134@psu.edu

Dear International Student:
I am a graduate student in the department of Counselor Education. I am doing a study on
cross-cultural adjustment international students face when they come to study in the
United States. By completing this survey you will be helping me to understand the
adjustment issues by voicing your experience or opinion and assisting me in making
suggestions and recommendations to ease this transition.

The survey asks you to answer questions regarding your experiences, feelings you
experienced, and mechanisms you used to make the adjustment easier during the first 12 -
16 month period of joining the university. Your participation in this survey will take
approximately 15 minutes. I do appreciate your taking the time to help me understand the
adjustment needs of international students.

Participation and Informed Consent

By completing the survey you are consenting to be a participant. Your participation is
voluntary and confidential. You are free to decline to answer any of the questions in the
survey. I would request you to answer as many questions as possible and appropriately
applicable to best serve the needs of the survey. Since this survey is conducted
electronically, confidentiality is assured to the levels that are available for electronic
media.
If you have any questions please contact: Sejal Mehta

Please use the SUBMIT button, at the bottom of the survey, to return the completed
survey. I would appreciate your responding and submitting the survey at the latest by
April 25th.


Organization of the Survey

The survey is organized into 3 parts.

1. The first part is basic demographic information.

2. The second part is pre-arrival information and initial adjustment (0-4 months).

3. This part has general questions on your opinion in dealing with cultural adjustment

Part One – Basic Information

1. Gender
a) Male
b) Female

2. Year of Birth
a) Before 1950
b) All choices from 1950 – 1985

3. Marital Status
a) Single
b) Married – Spouse accompanying
c) Married – unaccompanied
d) Married – Spouse and children accompanying
e) Divorced or separated

4. Which country are you from (Nationality)?

5. Level of Study
a) Undergraduate
b) Masters
c) Doctoral
d) Exchange
e) Non- Degree

6. Program of Study
a) Agricultural Sciences
b) Arts and Architecture
c) Communications
d) Division of Undergraduate Studies
e) Earth and Mineral Sciences
f) Eberly College of Sciences
g) Engineering
h) Health and Human Development


i) Liberal Arts
j) Smeal College of Business Administration
k) Undecided

7. Have you lived or traveled away from your home country before?
a) Yes
b) No

8. How long have you been in the US?
a) Less than 4 months
b) 4 – 8 months
c) 8 – 12 months
d) 12 – 16 months
e) More than 16 months

9. How long have you been in Penn State University?
a) Less than 4 months
b) 4 – 8 months
c) 8 – 12 months
d) 12 – 16 months
e) More than 16 months

10. Do you have Financial Aid?
a) Yes
b) No

________________________________________________________________________

Part Two – Pre-Arrival Information and Initial Period (0 – 4 months)

1. Why did you choose Penn State? (You can choose more than one answer)
a) College or program of study - reputation / ranking
b) Friend or relative recommended
c) Recommended by home institution
d) Had Financial Aid
e) Had only this admission
f) Other – Please Specify


2. Before leaving your home country, what were your anticipated and expected
feelings on first few weeks of joining the university (pre -arrival expectations and
anticipations)? (You can choose more than one answer)
a) Excitement
b) Anxiety
c) Apprehensive
d) Other – Please Specify

3. How did your initial experience compare to your pre -arrival expectations? (You
can choose more than one answer)
a) It was as expected
b) There were some similarities and some differences
c) It was totally different

4. What initial settling down help was available? (You can choose more than one
answer)
a) International Students Office
b) International Students
c) Other Students
d) Student groups and organizations
e) Faculty
f) Others – Please Specify

5. What did you feel was the hardest to adjust to? (You can choose more than one
answer)
a) Making friends
b) The department and advisors
c) The academics in general
d) the language
e) Missing home (home sickness)
f) Attitudes of the local people to foreigners
g) Other – Please Specify

6. What feelings did you experience in this initial period? (You can choose more
than one answer)
a) Happiness
b) Sadness
c) Excited and thrilled
d) Both sad and happy
e) Confused
f) Disoriented
g) Depressed
h) Other – Please Specify


7. Did you experience a very difficult period (culture shock) in your adjustment?
a) Yes
b) No

8. Having experienced difficulty in adjusting what coping mechanism(s) did you
use?
a) Talking to Foreign Student Advisor
b) Talking and being with friends
c) Talking to faculty / advisors
d) Joining different organizations to meet more people
e) Talking to family or relatives in the US
f) Talking to family or relatives back home (phone or email)
g) Talking to a professional counselor
h) Did not experience difficulty in adjusting
i) Others – Please Specify

________________________________________________________________________

Part Three – Your Ideas and Suggestions

1. What external help do you think will be helpful to ease the transition? (Offices,
student organizations or other support means) Please state, if you can, what kind
of help also?

2. What advice would you like to give new international students in helping them
with the adjustment process?

3. Any other thoughts / feelings you would like to share about cultural adjustment
based on your experience?

________________________________________________________________________

SUBMIT SURVEY

CLEAR FORM

Thank you very much for your time and participation in this survey. Your input and
opinion is valuable in this study
________________________________________________________________________

Copyright Sejal Mehta, the Pennsylvania State University. All rights reserved

Design for this survey was based on a survey done on International Students Needs
Assessment by Thomas I. Wortman, The Pennsylvania State University.


Acknowledgments

There are many people I would like to thank for their help and participation in the

process which lead to the successful completion of this paper

Dr. Daniel Salter, my advisor, for reading and editing several drafts of this paper.

Your support and encourage ment made the process of writing a lot easier.

Linda Keefer, Assistant Director, International Students and Scholars, for all your

help with sending out the email messages to the participants for the survey. I would have

never been able to reach out to all the international students without your assistance.

Dr. Kenneth Nafziger, for giving me the guidance and framework in designing the

survey and in pursuing this paper. Your assistance with framing the questions and the

various resources you provided me with were the start for a successful completion.

Thomas Wortman – Your help in assisting me in designing and developing the

web survey and being able to implement it is highly appreciated

Finally, I would like to thank to all the international students who participated in

the survey and took the time to give me their suggestions and recommendations. Your

ideas will be very helpful in helping future international students.

When the Fog Dissipates: A study on cross-cultural adjustment of international students studying in the U.S.

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