A Measure of Adjustment Strain in International Students

Abstract

To develop a measure of the adjustment strains for international students, more than 250students of high school age, from five South American countries, were assessed twice during their yearlong sojourn in the United States. The Inventory of Student Adjustment Strain (ISAS) was developed and administered twice during the students' sojourn, along with a standard measure of self-concept, which had also been administered prior to students' departure to the United States. Six psychologically meaningful subscales of high internal consistency were derived from the ISAS. Sociodemographic data were collected, as were students' perceptions of their exchange experience. Students' host families reported on the adjustment and integration of the students into family, school, and American life. These auxiliary data pointed to the utility and validity of the ISAS.