Initial Adjustment of Taiwanese Students to the United States

Abstract

Few studies of international student adjustment to the United States are longitudinal in nature. As part of a broader investigation of 172 Taiwanese students over time, the current report examines the adjustment of these students during their first months in the United States. A multidimensional model postulated adjustment to be mediated by demographics, personality, number and severity of problems experienced, extent of decline in level of control from pre- to postarrival, adequacy of prearrival preparation, size of the Chinese community surrounding the student, social support, language competence, and financial resources. This model accounted for 39% of the variance in adjustment. Implications of the findings are discussed.