This chapter was to introduce the background and the purpose of the study. Research questions and problem of statement were also provided. In the end, the definitions of each term were explained.
Background of the Study
Through the trend of globalization and the development of technology, the distance among different people across the world shrinks. Moving across nations without being obstructed by geographical distance becomes easier and more frequent. The prosperity of the international interaction benefits not only commerce but also education. In Taiwan, it enhances students’
willingness to study abroad. According to the “statistics on the number of Taiwanese students applying for studying abroad visa in mainstream countries” from Ministry of Education in Taiwan, the numbers of Taiwanese students studying abroad gradually increased. In 1998, there were 27,101 students studying abroad, and in 2015 the number of students who applied to study abroad programs increased to 38,166 (Ministry of Education, 2016).
There are various research related to international students as well. Some researchers looked at the effects that study abroad program had on the students. For example, Williams (2005) found that the intercultural communication skills of students studying abroad generally increased. Several positive influences on students are also reported by researchers, including the reduction of their ethnocentrism, better cultural appreciation, open-mindedness, new perspective and the thought of viewing themselves as world citizens (McCabe, 1994; Fry, Paige, Jon, Dillow, & Nam, 2009). Segmented by the length of time, research on short-term and long-term study abroad experience also concluded that intercultural awareness and interests, personal growth, functional knowledge, and communication and language skills were acquired by the students (Chieffo & Griffith, 2004; Ingraham & Peterson, 2004; Sutton & Rubin, 2004).
Most of these research focus on the effects of the study abroad program.
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However, considering international students themselves, ways to foster a more positive process of adaptation and life abroad experiences gradually also become a growing interest and concern (Olivas & Li, 2006; Shigaki & Smith, 1997; Tseng & Newton, 2002). For example, Hyun, Quinn, Madon, and Lustig (2007) studied 551 international graduate students, particularly from East Asian countries and discovered that 44% of them reported that their academic performance was influenced significantly by emotional or stress-related problem in their life abroad. That is to say, feeling and functioning well are crucial for international students in order to get what they want during the school year abroad. Therefore, based on the caring for the international students, factors that can influence individuals’ psychological well-being are discussed in this study.
Psychological well-being was defined as not only a positive state but also a feeling of functioning good in personal or interpersonal fields an individual has (Deci & Ryan, 2008;
Ryff & Singer, 2008). Adapted from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, the definition of International students is “students who have crossed a national or territorial border for the purpose of education and are now enrolled outside their country of origin” (UNESCO Institute for Statistics, 2016). The ability they need is called cultural intelligence which was defined as
“ability to adapt across cultures, and it reflects a person’s capability to gather, interpret, and act upon radically different cues to function effectively across cultural setting or in multicultural situations” (Earley & Ang, 2003, p.59).
When living abroad, an individual tends to pay more attention to what is happening at every moment because of the unfamiliarity toward the exotic things. This behavior, keeping one’s consciousness alive to the present reality, is called mindfulness (Hanh, 1976).
Mindfulness has been reported as an influence of individuals’ well-being (LeBel & Dubé, 2001). Therefore, this study uses mindfulness served as a factor that may moderate the relationship between cultural intelligence and psychological well-being. What’s more,
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researchers have also considered social support as a predictor that impacts students’
psychological stress and life satisfaction (Misra, Crist, & Burant, 2003). It is also used in this study as a moderating role. In short, the moderating effects of mindfulness, a concept that is acquired from inside the individual, and social support, a concept that an individual gets from the outside, used to its moderating effects on the relationship between cultural intelligence and psychological well-being will be examined. The results of this study, can provide future international students an awareness of what they can do to improve their lives of studying abroad.
Purpose of the Study
According to the “statistics on the number of Taiwanese students applying for studying abroad visa in mainstream countries” from Ministry of Education in Taiwan, the number of Taiwanese students studying abroad has a gradual annual increase. (Ministry of Education, 2016) Research on international students indicated that they have always spent time and efforts learning languages, gaining cultural refinement, experiencing adventures, learning about themselves, and developing intercultural competence (Bowman, 1987; Hoffa, 2007). However, academic performance was affected negatively on account of poor psychological condition for international students (Hyun et al., 2007). Therefore, this study examines the relationship among cultural intelligence, mindfulness, social support and psychological well-being to determine whether these factors benefit international students and identify what international students can do to foster their positive life experience abroad.
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Research Questions
Adaptability to deal with different content was reported to be the antecedent of psychological well-being (Stoltz, Wolff, Monroe, Mazahreh, & Farris, 2013; Wang, Zhan, Mccune, & Truxillo, 2011). Meanwhile, previous research also identified that mindfulness and social support were factors that influence psychological well-being (LeBel & Dubé, 2001;
Misra, Crist, & Burant, 2003). Therefore, research questions in this study were developed as below:
1. Is students’ cultural intelligence positively related to their psychological well-being when studying abroad?
2. Does students’ mindfulness strengthen the relationship between cultural intelligence and psychological well-being?
3. Does the social support that students receive strengthen the relationship between cultural intelligence and psychological well-being?
Problem Statement
In view of the growing numbers of Taiwanese students studying abroad, finding out ways that are helpful for them to have a better quality life abroad also becomes important. Most of the researches focus on the beneficial results that international students can get through studying abroad. For example, Williams (2005) found that the international experiences help students to enhance the intercultural communication skills. The reduction of ethnocentrism, better cultural appreciation, open-mindedness, new perspective and the thought of viewing ourselves as world citizens are also reported as the positive outcomes that studying abroad experiences bring (Fry et al., 2009; McCabe, 1994). However, poor psychological condition like mental and emotional problem hinders these positive outcomes (Hyun et al., 2007). It is also a waste of the investment, like time, cost and efforts, for the international students.
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Therefore, this study is to examine whether mindfulness and social support could serve as an individuals’ help internally and externally to enhance the relationship between cultural intelligence and psychological well-being.
Definition of Terms Psychological Well-Being
This study used conceptualizations of psychological well-being that described well-being as a positive state, namely functioning well in personal and interpersonal domain, for example, fully functioning, living well, and self-actualization of one’s potential (Deci & Ryan, 2008;
Ryff & Singer, 2008). Besides, six sub-dimensions that were defined by Ryff and Singer (2008) – positive relations, autonomy, environmental mastery, personal growth, purpose of life and self-acceptance were used.
Cultural Intelligence
Cultural intelligence refers to the ability to adapt across cultures, and it reflects a person’s capability to gather interpret, and act upon radically different cues to function effectively across cultural setting or in multicultural situations (Earley & Ang, 2003, p.59).
Mindfulness
Hanh (1976) defined the term mindfulness as keeping one’s consciousness alive to the present reality. Moreover, Brown and Ryan (2003) defined that consciousness included both awareness and attention. Awareness is the background radar of consciousness, continually monitoring the inner and outer environment. Attention refers to a process of focusing conscious awareness, providing heightened sensitivity to a limited range of experience (Westen, 1999).
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Mindfulness can be considered as an enhanced attention to and awareness of current experience or present reality.
Social Support
The definition of social support, concern, love, respect, or value that were served as hidden message from others (Kim, Sherman, & Taylor, 2008), is used in this study. It is divided into three constructs – friends, family, and significant other.
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