The protective function of meaning of life on life satisfaction among Chinese students in Australia and Hong Kong: a cross-cultural comparative study.
OBJECTIVE
The authors compared the predictive effects of acculturative stressors and meaning of life on life satisfaction between Chinese students in Australia and in Hong Kong.


METHODS
In 2006, the researchers recruited 606 Chinese students studying abroad at the University of Melbourne in Australia and at 6 universities in Hong Kong.


METHODS
Participants completed a questionnaire that included measures of acculturative stressors, meaning of life, life satisfaction, and demographic information.


RESULTS
The Australian sample experienced a significantly higher level of acculturative stressors than did the Hong Kong sample, but life satisfaction did not differ significantly between the 2 samples. Meaning of life had a strong positive contribution and acculturative stressors had a negative contribution in predicting life satisfaction in both samples. Meaning of life partially mediated the relationship between acculturative stressors and life satisfaction in both samples.


CONCLUSIONS
The authors discuss the theoretical and practical implications for Chinese students studying abroad.
Pan
Jia-Yan
JY
Department of Social Work and Social Administration, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China. jiayan2004@msn.com
Wong
Daniel Fu Keung
DF
Joubert
Lynette
L
Chan
Cecilia Lai Wan
CL
D000069:Acculturation; D000328:Adult; D044466:Asian People / Q000523:psychology*; D001315:Australia; D002681:China / Q000208:ethnology; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D003466:Cultural Characteristics; D005260:Female; D006723:Hong Kong; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D013315:Stress, Psychological; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult