Examining the impact of international graduate students' acculturation experiences on their career decision-making self-efficacy

The statistics from the Institute of International Education (2006) show that the number of international graduate students studying at universities in the U.S. continues to increase, and that more international students choose to acquire work experience in the U.S. after they graduate from their academic programs. Therefore, it is important for counselors and other helping professionals to understand the factors that would impact these students' career development. This study was designed to examine international graduate students' acculturation experiences and its impact on their self-efficacy in making career decisions.;Two survey instruments were used in the study, the International Students Acculturation Questionnaire (ISAQ), and the Career Decision Making Self-Efficacy Scale-Short Form (CDMSE-SF). A total of 190 graduate level international students were surveyed to assess their cross culture adjustment experiences and their career decision-making self-efficacy.;Independent sample t-test and ANOVA analysis revealed significant mean differences of acculturation and career self-efficacy between the individualistic and collectivistic groups. However, no gender difference was found on acculturation score. Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient did not display a significant relationship between students' length of residence and their career self-efficacy. Finally, a multiple linear regression analysis demonstrated that students' acculturation experiences are significant predictors of their career self-efficacy.;The results suggest that international graduate students' cross culture adjustment experiences might be an important variable in the development of confidence to accomplish career tasks and make career relevant decision. The results have implications for the counseling practice with international graduate students. Further research using extensive sample is needed to provide more empirical support for these findings.