Challenges, responses, and social supports a study of Chinese students' adaptation to a Midwestern U.S. university /

by Wu, Dan.

William Coggin, Advisor This study investigated the challenges Chinese students may encounter from the beginning of their study-abroad experience in a Midwestern U.S. university and their responses to these challenges. The sample group was composed of 26 Chinese students who were studying in a Midwestern university in the United States. The data were colleted through a questionnaire distributed to the participants. The results of this study indicate that 1) most Chinese students ask for help in the visa application process when they pursue their study in the U.S.; 2) Chinese students tend to take actions rather than being quiet and passive when they face challenges only when the “mianzi” (face) and “guanxi” (relationship) issues are considered as less important in the situation; 3) Chinese students identify their co-nationals (family, significant other, and friends) as their strongest social support. This study also found that Chinese students have both academic and non-academic difficulties in the U.S. The biggest non-academic difficulty for this group of participants was transportation. The differences among their reactions to different levels of challenges were studied in previous research. Their needs for help in the visa application process, the available help sources, and the helpfulness of these sources were first researched in this study. Recommendations for universities, professors, international program specialists and Chinese students were provided based on the results. Future research may include open-ended questions, employ cross-sectional research design and recruit a lager sample of participants. The difference in Chinese students’ reactions to different levels of challenges has not been researched before in other studies, so replications of research are needed to retest this conclusion with a different sample or population. iii To my Grandfather, for the perseverance he demonstrated in the Long March; and my Grandmother, for her unconditional love and care. iv