| This feminist interpretive study explored the experiences of five women international students in difficult intimate relationships. Using the feminist biographical method, two in-depth interviews were conducted with each participant regarding (a) their lived experiences of a difficult intimate relationship, and (b) their sociocultural perspectives on women, women's issues, and intimate relationships in their home culture. Additionally, written texts taken from participants' cultural backgrounds including philosophy, folklore and fables, mass media, sociological studies, and feminist writings were part of the data collection and analysis process. This narrative study sought to understand individual experience in relation to the larger cultural matrix of society.;The first set of findings included descriptive information about women international students' difficult intimate relationships. This analysis provided important and new data regarding the complexity and depth of these women's lives, especially in relation to their dating or marital relationships. The use of a feminist perspective allowed for an examination of gender, culture, social class, and power. Six themes emerged from the data including: (a) relational interaction patterns, (b) parental influences, (c) issues of daily living in Canada, (d) responses to the difficulties, (e) coping strategies and supportive people, and (f) outcomes of the relationship.;The second set of findings explored the integration of the participant's perspectives and written textual representations from their cultural backgrounds. This analysis provided a macro level investigation of the sociopolitical and historical underpinnings of women, women's issues and intimate relationships. In particular, five themes emerged from these findings: (a) cultural influences, (b) socioeconomic status, (c) changing societies, (d) dating, sex and common-law relationships, and (e) comparisons between cultures. The meanings that developed out of the interplay between the women's lived experiences, their perspectives on culture and the sociocultural writings provided a rich, holistic examination of these individual women's lives and stories. A discussion of overriding themes highlighted the importance for counsellors and other university personnel working with international students to understand the complexity of this particular student population group. Furthermore, implications of the study are linked to counselling practice, counselling services on campus, counsellor training programs, campus programming, and theory. |
