'Those First Few Months Were Horrible': Cross-Cultural Adaptation and the J-Curve in the International Student Experience in the UK and Norway

Autor/inn/en	Dailey-Strand, Caroline; Collins, Helen; Callaghan, David
Titel	'Those First Few Months Were Horrible': Cross-Cultural Adaptation and the J-Curve in the International Student Experience in the UK and Norway
Quelle	In: Journal of Comparative and International Higher Education, 13 (2021) 4, S.73-84 (12 Seiten) PDF als Volltext kostenfreie Datei Verfügbarkeit
Zusatzinformation	ORCID (Collins, Helen) ORCID (Callaghan, David)
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	2151-0393
Schlagwörter	Foreign Countries; Foreign Students; Cultural Differences; Student Adjustment; College Students; Anxiety; Culture Conflict; Study Abroad; Well Being; Student Attitudes; Barriers; Coping; Social Influences; Persistence; Language Skills; Employment Qualifications; United Kingdom; Norway + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Ausland; Kultureller Unterschied; Student; Students; Adjustment; Schüler; Schülerin; Studentin; Adaptation; Collegestudent; Angst; Kulturkonflikt; Studies abroad; Auslandsstudium; Well-being; Wellness; Wohlbefinden; Schülerverhalten; Bewältigung; Sozialer Einfluss; Ausdauer; Language skill; Sprachkompetenz; Employment qualification; Vocational qualification; Vocational qualifications; Berufliche Qualifikation; Großbritannien; Norwegen
Abstract	Since the 1970s, international students have represented a growing proportion of the global student body, yet how they adjust and how universities can support them is relatively unexplored. We conducted a qualitative study of 36 international students of 11 nationalities studying in Norway and the UK and found that their experience did not fit the dominant 'U-Curve' of adaptation that suggests there is a honeymoon period on arrival. Confirmed with conversations with student wellbeing staff, who suggest that anxiety and culture shock are the norm, the data allows us to suggest factors that trigger adjustment and interventions to improve students' experience. Our contribution is a 'J-Curve' model comprising cultural challenge, adjustment, and mastery, to reflect the reality of the international student experience. (As Provided).
Anmerkungen	Journal of Comparative and International Higher Education. 3107 B Hampton Highway, Yorktown, VA 23693. e-mail: oic213@lehigh.edu; Web site: https://www.ojed.org/index.php/jcihe/index
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2024/1/01