Date of Award

1-1-2014

Language

English

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

College/School/Department

Department of Educational Policy and Leadership

Content Description

1 online resource (xiii, 254 pages) : illustrations

Dissertation/Thesis Chair

Alan Wagner

Committee Members

Kevin Kinser, Heinz Meyer

Keywords

Adjustment, Factors, International, Interviews, Student, Survey, Students, Foreign, Student adjustment, Acculturation, College students

Subject Categories

Educational Administration and Supervision | Higher Education

Abstract

This study examines the factors that influence the academic and social adjustment of international students at public higher education institutions in New York State, within both the City University of New York (CUNY) and State University of New York (SUNY) systems. The Achieved Sample was comprised of 503 participants. Five aspects of adjustment to student life were examined: (1) cultural and practical matters; (2) academic expectations; (3) second language communication; (4) near-community and social life; and (5) personal and psychological nature. The Post-Secondary International Student Experience Inventory (PSISEI), an on-line survey instrument developed for this study, was used to gauge levels of adjustment across these areas and creates a set of composite measures that can be used to compare adjustment across sub-groups of international students. This study broadly puts forth the following research hypotheses: (1) Academic and social adjustment of international students differs based upon personal attributes (i.e., age, region of origin, and family status); and (2) Academic and social adjustment of international students differs based upon by institutional attributes (i.e., Two-year v. Four-year and Rural v. Urban).

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