Title page for ETD etd-09232003-005421

Type of Document

Dissertation

Author

Wang, Jing

URN

etd-09232003-005421

Title

A Study Of The Adjustment Of International Graduate Students At American Universities, Including Both Resilience Characteristics and Traditional Background Factors

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy

Department

Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Department of

Advisory Committee

Advisor Name	Title
Dale W. Lick	Committee Chair
Robert A. Schwartz	Committee Member
Sande Milton	Committee Member
Terrence R. Russell	Committee Member

Keywords

International Graduate Students

Date of Defense

2003-08-02

Availability

unrestricted

Abstract

This research related to the adjustment of international graduate students who study at American universities. The purpose of the study was to explore relationships among resilience characteristics and background factors, determine relationships among resilience characteristics and adjustment problem areas, evaluate relationships among adjustment problem areas and background factors, and identify resilience characteristics and background factors which significantly predict adjustment. Based on the statistical results of this study, recommendations were made to international graduate students and universities toward the improvement of international student adjustment in American universities.
Two instruments were used for this study: the Personal Resilience Questionnaire and the Michigan International Student Problem Inventory. All together 289 responses were gathered from international students from two universities.
Correlation studies, t-tests, One-way ANOVA, Tukey analyses, and multiple regression analyses were used. Statistical analyses revealed that: resilience characteristics were moderately correlated with background factors, highly negatively correlated with adjustment problem areas, and better correlated with adjustment problem areas than were background factors. Resilience characteristics, Gender, Father’s Education, and Country of Origin were strong predictors for adjustment problems with resilience characteristics being the strongest predictors. Among resilience characteristics, the strongest predictors were Focused and Flexible: Thoughts, followed by Positive: Yourself.
Based on the research findings, it appears that resilience characteristics are central to the adjustment of international students, while traditional background factors may only be
secondary. International students should try to enhance their resilience and universities
should provide help to them to do so.

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