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. 2015 Aug;109(2):316-337.
doi: 10.1037/pspp0000046.

The highs and lows of a cultural transition: a longitudinal analysis of sojourner stress and adaptation across 50 countries

Kali A Demes  1 , Nicolas Geeraert  1
Affiliations

The highs and lows of a cultural transition: a longitudinal analysis of sojourner stress and adaptation across 50 countries

Kali A Demes et al. J Pers Soc Psychol. 2015 Aug.

Abstract

The impact of living abroad is a topic that has intrigued researchers for almost a century, if not longer. While many acculturation phenomena have been studied over this time, the development of new research methods and statistical software in recent years means that these can be revisited and examined in a more rigorous manner. In the present study we were able to follow approximately 2,500 intercultural exchange students situated in over 50 different countries worldwide, over time both before and during their travel using online surveys. Advanced statistical analyses were employed to examine the course of sojourners stress and adjustment over time, its antecedents and consequences. By comparing a sojourner sample with a control group of nonsojourning peers we were able to highlight the uniqueness of the sojourn experience in terms of stress variability over time. Using Latent Class Growth Analysis to examine the nature of this variability revealed 5 distinct patterns of change in stress experienced by sojourners over the course of their exchange: a reverse J-curve, inverse U-curve, mild stress, minor relief, and resilience pattern. Antecedent explanatory variables for stress variability were examined using both variable-centered and person-centered analyses and evidence for the role of personality, empathy, cultural adaptation, and coping strategies was found in each case. Lastly, we examined the relationship between stress abroad with behavioral indicators of (mal)adjustment: number of family changes and early termination of the exchange program.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Hypothesized stress trajectories showing five different predicted patterns of change in stress over the exchange relative to baseline stress (anchored at 0 on the y-axis). Note: Above 0 on the y-axis indicates an increase in stress relative to baseline and below 0 on the y-axis indicates a decrease in stress relative to baseline.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Five class representation of change in perceived stress over time for sojourners. Change in stress is relative to pretravel baseline.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Three class representation of change in perceived stress over time for controls. Change in stress is relative to pretravel baseline.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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