Understanding East Asian Graduate Students’ Socio-cultural and Psychological Adjustment in a U.S. Midwestern University

Abstract

In this study, we explore East Asian graduate students’ socio-cultural and psychological adjustment in a U.S. Midwestern University. Eight participants were interviewed about their acculturation challenges as well as their effective coping strategies. Data were analyzed using open-coding techniques and five themes emerged: three themes summarized the challenges, including challenges due to cultural differences, lack of support in a foreign environment, and financial stress; and the other two themes that described the coping strategies were utilizing external resources and developing self-adjustment strategies.