The role of social support and socio‑demographic factors in predicting intercultural adjustment among Malawian international graduates in China

Abstract

International students face challenges as they adjust to their living and learning ways in their new environment. The study aimed to examine the level of acculturative stress and social support Malawian international students in China experienced. The study further wanted to determine the role of social support on students’ acculturation. A sample of 163 Malawian international graduates were recruited to participate in the study. The Acculturative Stress Scale for International Students (ASSIS) was employed to assess graduates’ perceived discrimination, homesickness, perceived hate, fear, cultural shock, guilt, and miscellaneous stressors. Further,
the Multidimensional Scale for Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) was used to measure graduates’ level of social support from friends and family members. Data collected from this study was analysed using IBM^® SPSS^® statistics version 22. Findings indicated that Malawian graduates did not experience high acculturative stress. Nonetheless, homesickness, perceived discrimination, and cultural shock were their topmost reported sources of acculturative stress. Demographic characteristics such as length of stay, age, education, and marital status were also found to influence stress. Social support was also found to be associated with lower levels of acculturative
stress. These findings have critical implications for educators and administrators of international students, and Malawian students in China.