| Despite the increasing numbers of Chinese students enrolling in U.S. higher education institutions, university educators know very little about the development of Chinese students. Using the student development model of self-authorship (Baxter Magolda, 2001, 2009; Kegan, 1994), this interpretivist study examined how 12 mainland Chinese students attending a U.S. university developed along the continuum of self-authorship and what role, if any, the cultural constructs of collectivism and filial piety [xiao , *Please refer to dissertation for diagrams.] played in their development. The findings of the study indicated that the development of Chinese students aligns with the model of self-authorship; however, alternative paths were taken. Specifically, the developmental patterns of these participants suggested a close coupling of the intrapersonal and interpersonal domains. In addition, there was substantial progress in self-authorship development by the Junior year.;Collectivism and filial piety greatly influenced development in all domains. A third cultural construct, guan xi *Please refer to dissertation for diagrams.] (Chinese networking), emerged from the data as impactful. Seven additional themes emerged from the data analysis as influencing the development of Chinese undergraduate students: five themes grouped under Living Cross-Cultural Difference: (a) exploring volunteerism and advocacy; (b) adjusting to academic demands; (c) building cross-cultural friendships; (d) "culture-switching;" (e) building a new worldview; and two themes grouped under Solidifying a Chinese Self: (f) examining self within the collective; and (g) negotiating stereotypes. These findings may serve to inform the practices, policy, and research in U.S. higher education institutions and abroad.;Keywords: self-authorship, Chinese students, higher education, student development, collectivism, filial piety. |
