An investigation of connections among adult attachment, social support and perceived quality of life in a foreign cultural environment

Finding one's place in a foreign culture can be a daunting endeavor whose obstacles and setbacks affect each individual differently. These differences are influenced not only by the environment but also by such variables as each individual's capability and personality, which form the basis for one's strengths or vulnerabilities in life. The present study has used attachment theory as its theoretical basis for making an investigation of three phenomena relevant to adult life in a foreign culture: (1) the relationships among adult attachment, social support, and adult perceived quality of life, (2) the connection between previous separation experience and adult current life experience in a foreign culture, and (3) life experience in a foreign culture. Since the study mainly focuses on adult attachment, social support and perceived quality of life, all the three of the investigated areas are centered on the connections among the three variables.;Such a research design not only follows the core of attachment theory, whose emphasis is on attachment, its consequences, its influence on life experience as well as on humans' reaction to separation, but also takes into account both the working function of attachment and the working principle of social support assumed in theories in which attachment and social support become activated in stressful situations.;The three areas of investigation are presented concretely in the following research questions: In the first area: the relationships among attachment, social support and adult perceived quality of life under the condition of being in a foreign culture. (1) What are the differences in perceived quality of life among adults with different attachment styles? (2) What are the differences in social support among adults with different attachment styles? (3) Is there any interaction between attachment and social support?;In the second area: the connection between previous separation experience and adult current life experience in a foreign culture. (1) Is there a connection between the length of previous separation and adult current attachment style? (2) Are there connections among the variables of previous separation experience, current social support, and perceived quality of life (in a foreign culture)? (3) Is there a connection between attachment and environment, namely an adult's attachment style and the importance that he attaches to his country of origin? In the third area: current life experience in a foreign culture. (1) What are the difficulties in forming close social relationships in a foreign culture? (2) Are difficulties in forming close social relationships related to attachment style? (3) What is the relationship between support-seeking intentions and attachment style? (4) How does religion-seeking behavior relate to attachment, social support, and adults' perceived quality of life?;At the same time, the scope of the study has not been limited to a consideration of three major variables mentioned above. Regarding life in a foreign culture, other research concerns have been taken up, including gender differences in adult attachment style, social support, and perceived quality of life. Additional research concerns also include the influence of marital status, age, time spent in a foreign culture, and the frequency of home visiting, on social support and adult perceived quality of life.