Acculturation Strategy, Integration Paradoxes and Educational Adaptation—A Case Study of Chinese Visiting Scholar’s Family in the United States

Abstract

In this case study, we developed a theoretical framework for examining the relationship between acculturation strategy and educational adaptation. By interviews and observations of one Chinese visiting scholar's family in the United States, we found that the family utilized integration as the acculturation strategy to adapt to the US educational environment. However, we also found that the family's perceived integration attitudes and behaviors were opposed to its actual integration attitudes and behaviors, which we called integration paradoxes. These integration paradoxes included the following four areas: a) cultural difference; b) academic and non-academic problem solving; c) academic expectations; and d) bicultural competence. The findings indicated potential moderated and/or mediated effects of the four integration paradoxes on the relationship between integration and educational adaptation.

School adjustment of ethnic minority youth: a qualitative and quantitative research synthesis of family-related risk and resource factors

“…From the perspective of a stress and coping framework (Lazarus & Folkman, 1984), acculturation influences an individual's psychological well-being, life satisfaction, health vulnerability and psychosomatic complaints (Berry et al, 1987;Berry & Sam, 1997). Hence, culture contact appears to be a major, stressful life event that may lead to "culture shock" (Ward et al, 2001) or "acculturative stress" . The social learning approach suggests that individuals need to adjust to cultural differences in behaviour patterns and value systems (Hofstede, 1980;Markus & Kitayama, 1991).…”

“…Especially for girls restrictive parenting was associated with risks for adjustment . In some studies, also parental authority , parental discipline (Yu et al, 2017), parental monitoring (Marsiglia et al, 2018;Sibley & Brabeck, 2017), and parental guidance (Weidong & Chen, 2017) were considered to be resourceful for adaption to new environment.…”

“…Within the cluster of quantitative research, parental attitudes were only rarely addressed as a resource factor (N = 2 codes). A number of studies identified parental positive attitudes towards the national educational system, parental positive perception of the school environment, their optimistic views of children's educational success as being crucial for minority students' successful school adjustment Bodovski & Durham, 2010;Kennedy Cuero & Valdez, 2012;Perreira et al, 2006;Weidong & Chen, 2017). Although parents' high educational aspirations were mentioned more frequently as resource factors (Kumi-Yeboah & Smith, 2017;Sime & Pietka-Nykaza, 2015;Yu et al, 2017), some studies identified them as risk factors as they can be considered a stressor (Cone et al, 2014;.…”

Discourse Analyses of Chinese Visiting Professors at Canadian Universities: Adaptation and Transformation

“…Secondly, Xue et al (2015) reveal the strategies used by Chinese visiting professors for "academic socialization includes motivation, social networking development, academic recognition, goal orientation, and community involvement" (p.1) and implications for Chinese Scholarship Committee (CSC) policymakers, international visiting scholars, and researchers. In addition, previous studies have discussed some psychological issues of Chinese visiting professors in relation to their adaptation (Li & Chen, 2017). Most visiting professors usually take their families to the host countries, which renders Visiting professors facing extra psychological stresses in adjusting to Canadian culture and displayed struggles in integrating into the local environment (Li & Chen, 2017).…”

“…In addition, previous studies have discussed some psychological issues of Chinese visiting professors in relation to their adaptation (Li & Chen, 2017). Most visiting professors usually take their families to the host countries, which renders Visiting professors facing extra psychological stresses in adjusting to Canadian culture and displayed struggles in integrating into the local environment (Li & Chen, 2017). Chinese visiting professors are inclined to accept passively when they experience adaptation stresses (Zheng & Berry, 1991).…”