Resilience capacity has been associated with individuals’ flexibility and adaptability in responding to potential trauma. Culture-related appraisals influence not only interpretations of etiology of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and perception of severity of PTSD symptoms but also flexible coping strategies. However, adequate research of the mechanisms on how culture may affect the relationship between resilience and PTSD does not yet exist. The present study focused on whether and how culture (America, Hong Kong, and Mainland China) moderated the relationship between resilience capacity and severity of posttraumatic distress. Data were collected at three research sites (America, Hong Kong, and Mainland China) where 558 trauma survivors were recruited. Measures included the Life Events Checklist ( LEC-5), the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 ( PCL-5), and the Revised Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale ( CD-RISC-R). The results of one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) indicated that American participants were more resilient than the participants in Hong Kong and Mainland China. The results of multiple regression indicated that frequency of exposure to trauma was a weaker predictor of severity of PTSD symptoms at high versus low levels of resilience capacity. The results also indicated a weaker moderating effect of Hong Kong versus American culture on the relation between resilience capacity and PTSD. This pilot study highlighted East–West cultural differences in the baselines of resilience capacity and posttraumatic stress and may motivate clinicians and researchers to reevaluate Western diagnostic criteria to psychological trauma conceptualization and treatment for non-Western populations.

Collaborating 1 using a common language can be challenging for non-native speakers (NNS). These challenges can be reduced when native speakers (NS) adjust their speech behavior for NNS, for example by speaking more slowly. In this study, we examined whether the use of real-time speech rate feedback (a speech speedometer) would help NS monitor their speaking speed and adjust for NNS accordingly. We conducted a laboratory experiment with 20 triads of 2 NS and 1 NNS. NS in half of the groups were given the speech speedometer. We found that NS with the speech speedometer were significantly more motivated to slow down their speech but they did not actually speak more slowly, although they made other speech adjustments. Furthermore, NNS perceived the speech of NS with the speedometer less clear, and they felt less accommodated. The results highlight the need for tools that create scaffolding to help NS make speech accommodations. We conclude with some design ideas for these scaffolding tools.

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Multiparty collaboration using a common language is often challenging for nonnative speakers (NNS). Conversation can move forward rapidly, with terms and references unfamiliar to NNS often going unexplained because NNS do not request clarification due to cognitive overload or face concerns. Language difficulties may further lead to NNS having a low level of participation in a conversation, which could be a loss for multilingual teams. To help NNS resolve potential confusions due to unfamiliar language use without risking face concerns, we created a conversation agent that asked clarification questions intended to help NNS follow and participate in multiparty conversations. We conducted a within-subjects laboratory experiment with 17 triads of 2 NS and 1 NNS, who performed a series of collaborative tasks under three conditions: a) no agent, b) a high-level agent that resembles a NNS with good command of English, and c) a low-level agent that resembles a NNS with poor English skills. Results suggest that NS made significantly more clarifications in both agent conditions than without an agent. In the high-level agent condition, NNS reported an increase in understanding after the agent's interruption and spoke significantly more. Further, NNS evaluated their communication competence in English highest in the low-level agent condition and lowest in the control condition. Our findings suggest several directions to improve the tool to better facilitate multilingual multiparty communication.