This study explores the unique experience of disrupted sojourns and early reentry among U.S. college students who were abruptly repatriated from their study abroad experience in March 2020. Using a combination of focus groups and interviews with 25 U.S. returning students, the findings suggest that students' experiences were characterized by…

Many Indian international students are studying in American colleges and universities. Education abroad in an unfamiliar environment can be challenging for students. Thus, the present study investigated the coping strategies employed by six Indian international students studying in the United States, using phenomenological data analysis…

In this study, we explore the perceived stress and self-regulation of four Chinese international students (CISs) at a public research university in the southeastern United States (U.S.) during the COVID-19 pandemic through individual semistructured interviews. The identified themes include travel restrictions and delayed required tests, mixed…

This study delves into the experiences of Saudi graduate students navigating mental health challenges while pursuing higher education in the United States. As a result of cultural and academic pressures, these students grapple with various stressors, including cultural adaptation, academic demands, and familial separation. The research aims to…

This dissertation study utilized Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) to understand the acculturation and sojourner experience of undergraduate Indian international students in the U.S. Midwest. Focusing exclusively on the lived experience of these students, this study engaged Berry's "Fourfold Model of Acculturation" (Berry,…

As the U.S. higher education student population continues to change and grow, universities need to be prepared to provide adequate support for their unique needs. Yet research has not kept pace with the growth, or the variety of international student experiences. Additionally, research on at-risk migrant and refugee students in higher education…

This cross-cultural ethnography explored the global student mobility patterns of international students from English-speaking countries in China and asked research questions about (a) their motivational factors and acculturation expectations before arrival; (b) linguistic factors influencing their acculturative stressors in the host group…

Coming from a completely different culture, Saudi female students encounter a number of challenges adapting to the American culture. These acculturation challenges may affect their academic, social, and life experiences in the United States. The purpose of this study was to explore the acculturation challenges encountered by Saudi female students…

This mixed-method study examined whether Brazilian students in the US use an indigenous problem-solving practice, "jeitinho," as a coping strategy for acculturative stress. Forty-two participants answered an online survey, which was a culmination of demographic information, the Acculturative Stress Scale for International Students,…

While the initial outbreak of COVID-19 in China impacted Chinese international students' families' lives, the spread of the virus in the U.S. heavily influenced their own. Drawing upon the stress and coping model (Lazarus & Folkman, 1984), this qualitative study unpacks Chinese doctoral students' experiences and coping at one large research…

This dissertation presents a phenomenological study that voices the perspectives of Korean female international graduate students in U.S. higher education on their acculturation experiences. This qualitative study used Berry's (2017) acculturation theory as the framework. This study particularly focuses on the acculturative stressors faced by…

Employing critical incident technique and the constructivist grounded approach, this study conducted individual in-depth interviews with 13 undergraduate students who had experiences studying abroad in China to find out how American college students perceived their new learning environment in China, and to examine the strategies students employed…

This study explored the transition experiences of 10 Saudi female international students when they made the decision to study and live in the United States. The transition theory provided the theoretical foundation for understanding how Saudi female sophomore students progressed through moving to a Midwestern university. Ten in-depth individual…

This study explored the transition experiences of 10 Saudi female international students when they made the decision to study and live in the United States. The transition theory provided the theoretical foundation for understanding how Saudi female sophomore students progressed through moving to a Midwestern university. In-depth individual…

The lack of exchange between international students and host nationals in Japan has long been a pressing issue, yet very little progress has been made to rectify this situation. In this study, we examined this issue by focusing on how international students in Japan perceive cultural contact with their host and home culture members during their…