HKIER

Abstract

International students’ struggles for academic success and cultural adjustment in the U.S. are made more difficult by their experience of racism. The International Student Office (ISO) on many campuses offers an alternative third source of support to augment support from new friends in the host culture, and friends and family back home. In this study, students (N = 52) from East Asian countries who had been in the U.S. less than three years completed measures of adult attachment, perceived social support, stressful life events, experiences of racism, and psychological symptoms of distress. Attachment security was associated with more support from the new friends in the U.S. Support from the ISO appeared to significantly buffer the effects of racism perceived by international students.

摘要

在美國的國際學生常因為受到種族歧視，致令他們在追求學業成就和文化適應上變得愈來愈困難。他們除了在美國結識的新朋友及原有家人朋友處尋求支持外，現在許多大學都在校園裏設立國際學生辦事處（International Student Office），為這些學生提供另一種尋求支持的選擇。本研究以問卷調查了52位來自東亞國家的國際學生，他們在美國的日子均少於三年。問卷量度了他們在成人依附關係、社會支持、生活壓力事件、種族歧視經驗、以及心理困擾症狀等方面的情況。研究結果顯示：安全的依附關係與較多美國新朋友的支持有關；對於國際學生感受到種族歧視的衝擊，國際學生辦事處的支持具有顯著的緩衝效應。