title: Acculturative stressors and acculturative strategies as predictors of negative affect among Chinese international students in Australia and Hong Kong: a cross-cultural comparative study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  There are few studies comparing cross-cultural adaptation of migrant groups in two different cultural settings. This study compares the level of negative affect and acculturative stressors between Chinese international students in Australia and Mainland Chinese students in Hong Kong. The predictive effects of acculturative stressors and acculturative strategies on negative affect were also compared between the two groups.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 606 graduate students were recruited for a cross-sectional survey in Melbourne, and Hong Kong, China. The measurement included the Acculturative Hassles Scale for Chinese Students, Acculturative Strategy Scale, and Chinese Affect Scale. Independent t-tests and hierarchical regression analysis were conducted for data analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Chinese international students in Australia were found to encounter more acculturative stressors and experience a higher level of negative affect than their counterparts in Hong Kong. The acculturative stressor of academic work and a marginalization strategy significantly predicted negative affect in both groups. The acculturative stressor of cultural difference predicted negative affect in the Hong Kong sample, and assimilation strategy predicted negative affect in the Australian sample only.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is more difficult for Chinese international students to adapt to a host society with greater cultural distance. Cross-cultural comparative study helps to find out culture-general and culture-specific predictors of acculturation and helps design tailor-made intervention programs for international students across cultures.
authors.affiliation: The Dept. of Social Work, Chinese University of Hong Kong. jiayan2004@msn.com
authors.forename: Jia-Yan
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.forename: Daniel Fu Keung
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Wong
mesh_terms: D000069:Acculturation; D000124:Achievement; D000328:Adult; D044466:Asian People / Q000193:education* / Q000523:psychology*; D001315:Australia; D002681:China / Q000208:ethnology; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology*; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006723:Hong Kong; D006801:Humans; D007393:International Educational Exchange; D008297:Male; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012929:Psychological Distance; D011594:Psychometrics; D012307:Risk Factors; D012933:Social Identification; D012945:Social Values; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications*; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology