The stress of studying in China: primary and secondary coping interaction effects

English, Alexander S.; Zeng, Zhijia; Hong, Jian

doi:10.1186/s40064-015-1540-3

Cited by 26 publications

(18 citation statements)

References 68 publications

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“…Increases in family conflicts and emotional distress were reported during that period (62). Similarly, academic stress is widespread in most Asian societies, particularly in Chinese cultures (63,64). From a service perspective, our findings highlight the importance of identifying these potentially modifiable risk factors and developing culturally relevant preventive interventions (e.g., providing social support to improve the family environment, mindfulness interventions to relieve academic stress) to improve the clinical and psychosocial outcomes of survivors.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 63%

Neurocognitive and Behavioral Outcomes of Chinese Survivors of Childhood Lymphoblastic Leukemia

et al. 2021

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BackgroundIncreasing attention has been dedicated to investigate modifiable risk factors of late effects in survivors of childhood cancer. This study aims to evaluate neurocognitive and behavioral functioning in a relatively young cohort of survivors of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in Hong Kong, and to identify clinical and socio-environmental factors associated with these outcomes.MethodsThis analysis included 152 survivors of childhood ALL who were ≥5 years post-diagnosis (52% male, mean [SD] age 23.5[7.2] years at evaluation, 17.2[7.6] years post-diagnosis). Survivors completed performance-based neurocognitive tests, and reported their emotional and behavioral symptoms using the Child/Adult Behavior Checklist. Socio-environmental variables (living space, fatigue, physical activity, family functioning, and academic stress) were self-reported using validated questionnaires. Clinical variables and chronic health conditions were extracted from medical charts. Multivariable linear modeling was conducted to test identify factors associated with neurocognitive/behavioral outcomes, adjusting for current age, sex, age at diagnosis and cranial radiation. An exploratory mediation analysis was performed to examine the mediating effects of risk factors on neurocognitive and behavioral outcomes.ResultsAs compared to population norms, a minority of survivors developed mild-moderate impairment in motor processing speed (36.2%), memory (9.2%) and attention measures (4.0%-10.5%). Survivors also reported attention problems (12.5%), sluggish cognitive tempo (23.7%) and internalizing (depressive, anxiety and somatic symptoms) problems (17.1%). A minority of survivors developed mild-moderate treatment-related chronic conditions (n=37, 24.3%). As compared to survivors without chronic conditions, survivors with chronic conditions had more executive dysfunction (B=5.09, standard error [SE]=2.05; P=0.014) and reported more attention problems (B=5.73, SE=1.43; P<0.0001). Fatigue and poor family functioning was associated with multiple measures of behavior problems (all P<0.001). A lower level of physical activity was correlated with more self-reported symptoms of inattention (B= -1.12, SE=0.38, P=0.004) and sluggish cognitive tempo (B=-1.22, SE=0.41, P=0.003). Exploratory analysis showed that chronic health conditions were associated with behavioral measures through fatigue as the mediator.ConclusionThe majority of young Chinese survivors of ALL had normal cognitive and behavioral function. Regular monitoring of behavioral function should be performed on survivors who develop treatment-related chronic conditions. Health behavior and socio-environment factors may be potentially modifiable risk factors associated with health outcomes in survivors.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 63%

Neurocognitive and Behavioral Outcomes of Chinese Survivors of Childhood Lymphoblastic Leukemia

et al. 2021

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“…With a sample of British expats residing in Singapore, Ward and Kennedy (2001) demonstrated that low levels of positive reinterpretation, along with high levels of mental disengagement and venting, predicted increased levels of depression. Similarly, English, Zeng, and Ma’s (2015) study with international students in China suggested that secondary coping was beneficial in reducing the negative effects of acculturative stress on sociocultural adjustment for non-Asian students. These findings suggest that the lack of secondary strategies can have detrimental effects for the psychosocial well-being of Westerners residing in collectivistic, Asian contexts.…”

Section: Effectiveness Of Secondary Coping Across Cultures and Ethnicmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…These investigations were designed to explore by what means people in individualistic versus collectivistic cultures deal with everyday life challenges. The second line of research has focused on the effectiveness of secondary coping during cross-cultural transition, thus aiming to understand which coping styles provide adaptive strategies when people originating from individualistic (or collectivistic) cultures are exposed to the new norm and value system of a dominantly collectivistic (or individualistic) society (e.g., English, Zeng, & Ma, 2015;Szabo et al, 2016;Wang et al, 2012;Ward & Kennedy, 2001). Schulz and Heckhausen (1999) have argued that secondary coping strategies are best researched during significant life transitions when the opportunities for exerting control are redefined or threatened.…”

Section: Secondary Coping and The Type Of Stressormentioning

confidence: 99%

Is the Utility of Secondary Coping a Function of Ethnicity or the Context of Reception? A Longitudinal Study Across Western and Eastern Cultures

Szabó

English

Zeng

et al. 2017

Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology

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Although cross-cultural research suggests that the development and functionality of secondary coping strategies are substantially influenced by the broader cultural context, research findings are not completely conclusive. Some studies indicate that secondary coping is more adaptive for Asian participants compared with Westerners, while others emphasize the adaptability of the coping style in Asian, but not Western, contexts. The main objective of the present study was to systematically test for ethnic and contextual differences in the effectiveness of secondary strategies (measured in the form of acceptance and positive reinterpretation) in reducing the negative effects of acculturative stress on somatic symptoms with samples of international students. A 3-month longitudinal study was conducted in two different contexts: (a) Asian and Western international students in China (Asians: n = 53, Westerners: n = 51) and (b) similar groups in New Zealand (Asians: n = 61, Westerners: n = 65). The data were subjected to a hierarchical regression analysis with changes in psychological symptoms functioning as the dependent variable. Findings indicated that stress, secondary coping, and cultural context significantly interacted in predicting changes in somatic symptoms. Specifically, secondary coping exacerbated the negative effects of acculturative stress on psychological adjustment in New Zealand. In contrast, secondary coping functioned as a buffer in China, such that it was effective at reducing the negative impact of stress over time. Findings indicated that ethnicity did not significantly moderate the stress–coping–adjustment relationship. Our results show that the effectiveness of secondary coping varies as a function of the cultural context.

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“…In fact, some recent research has found that Asians may prefer to use a primary coping control as opposed to secondary coping (Sawaumi, Yamaguchi, Park, & Robinson, 2015). A recent study by English et al (2015), found that secondary coping was adaptive for both Westerners and (non-Chinese) Asians living in China. Further attention needs to be given to secondary coping regarding its benefits for situational stress and the impact of environment on coping styles.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Coping With Uprooting Stress During Domestic Educational Migration in China

English

Worlton

2017

Journal of Pacific Rim Psychology

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F or many youth, attending university is their first extended time away from home, and uprooting stress can often lead to distress. The present research examines the impact of uprooting stress on educational Chinese migrants and how students cope with the unanticipated pressure of leaving home. Using a sample of recent first-year students, we employed a longitudinal design that allowed us to examine the interaction effect of coping strategies (primary and secondary coping) and stress at time 1 and their impact on anxiety at time 2. Results indicated primary coping exerted an interaction effect on stress, exacerbating the negative effects and leading to more anxiety at time 2, but secondary coping did not. Females also reported lower stress and anxiety. In conclusion, the impact of uprooting stress and coping on psychological symptoms suggests further research on internal Chinese migration should consider the impact of within-culture variation in Mainland China.Keywords: China, internal migration, longitudinal research study, primary and secondary coping, psychological symptoms, uprooting stressLeaving home, or uprooting, particularly for the first time, is stressful and is often marked by difficult experiences adjusting to the new environment. College is often the time when youth depart their familiar homeland and undergo psychological changes adjusting to a new environment. While studies have examined psychological distress of uprooting and homesickness (see the review by Scopelliti & Tiberio, 2012), how youth cope with these difficulties of being away from home is unclear. Gender and nationality have been variables in research on homesickness and uprooting stress during college transitions, but the results are inconclusive as to whether males or females struggle more (Poyrazli & Lopez, 2007). Coping with uprooting stress is a major issue in a country like China as millions engage in interprovincial migration for purposes of education. The present study intends to examine the longitudinal effects of uprooting, coping, and psychological adjustment on recent non-local, first-year Chinese university students. Uprooting as an Element of Social ChangeHumans have always been mobile, but as the term 'uprooting' implies, we put down roots and make social connections when we settle in one place. Uprooting has been defined generally as the process when one leaves one place (forced or self-imposed) to relocate to another place (Brown, 1980). While uprooting can occur at any time across one's lifespan, the first year transition to college has been regarded as major life event and has served as a subject of study for many decades (Sun, 2015). College students are not immune to the negative effects of uprooting (uprooting stress) during their adjustment process. In general, researchers have agreed that the experience of uprooting (e.g., feelings of separation or homesickness) is directly linked to increased levels of depression, loneliness, and anxiety (Fisher & Hood, 1988). Although Fisher and Hood (1988) found that colleg...

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The stress of studying in China: primary and secondary coping interaction effects

Cited by 26 publications

References 68 publications

Neurocognitive and Behavioral Outcomes of Chinese Survivors of Childhood Lymphoblastic Leukemia

Neurocognitive and Behavioral Outcomes of Chinese Survivors of Childhood Lymphoblastic Leukemia

Is the Utility of Secondary Coping a Function of Ethnicity or the Context of Reception? A Longitudinal Study Across Western and Eastern Cultures

Coping With Uprooting Stress During Domestic Educational Migration in China

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