International university students' perceptions of cultural and contextual adaptation, acculturation, and control

This study investigated the dynamics of acculturation among international university students as it relates to psychosocial adaptation, control, and demographic factors. Specifically, it examined whether or not cultural and contextual adaptation (as measured by the PACCC-RV II), various perception and modes of control (as measured by the SCI), and demographic factors individually and collectively predicted acculturation as measured by the three factors of the AIRS: Perceived Prejudice, Acculturation, and Language Usage. One hundred twenty three international students at Northern Arizona University participated in this study. The results of stepwise multiple regression analyses revealed significant predictive relationships among predictor variables and criterion variables. The international students at Northern Arizona University (NAU) who perceived greater prejudice in the U.S. had less contextual satisfaction, less overall sense of control, greater desire to have control in general, and they were more likely to be female and more likely to be from a non-European country. The NAU international students with greater acculturation to the university environment in the U.S. had greater desire to remain in the U.S., were more able to meet the needs of the environment, and were more likely to be male. Finally, The NAU international students with greater proficiency in English were more likely from non-Asian countries and had a greater length of stay in the U.S. Implications of the results suggest: (1) Acculturation is indeed a multidimensional process upon which various factors influence one's acculturation process, a view consistent with contemporary understanding of acculturation; (2) An intercultural distance between the host country and one's original country does not necessary relate to one's acculturation and/or acculturative stress; and lastly; (3) One's perceived prejudice can be changed.