Acculturative Stress and Leisure among Chinese International Graduate Students

Bibliographic Data

ID11216610
AuthorsYilun Zhou (0000-0002-7085-3880, Department of Recreation, Sport and Tourism, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL, USA, corresponding author), Hongping Zhang (0000-0001-8290-7041, University of Florida), Hong Ping Zhang (0000-0003-4312-0099, University of Florida), Monika Stodolska (0000-0002-1727-2841, Department of Recreation, Sport and Tourism, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL, USA)
Year2018
Volume40
Issue6
Pages557-577
Publication date2018-11-02
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueLeisure Sciences (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0149-0400 • E-ISSN: 1521-0588
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/01490400.2017.1306466
OpenAlexW2605642035
LanguageEN
Citations received16
References cited71

This study explored the roles of leisure participation in helping Chinese international graduate students cope with acculturative stress. In particular, it examined (a) the expectations and preparations with respect to acculturative stress made by the students prior to their arrival to the United States, (b) the acculturative stressors experienced by the students during the postarrival transition phase, (c) the role of leisure participation in coping with acculturative stress, and (d) the limitations of leisure as a coping strategy and the negative impacts of leisure on acculturative stress. Two rounds of semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 first-year Chinese international graduate students attending a large midwestern university. The findings revealed that due to the unique cultural influence and the status of international students, the participants experienced distinctive acculturative stressors. Although leisure participation was an effective tool in combating acculturative stress, in some circumstances it a led to a plethora of negative outcomes

Acculturation · Coping (psychology · Graduate students · Immigration · Pedagogy · Political science · Stressor · Clinical Psychology · International Student and Expatriate Challenges · Medicine · Psychology · Recreation, Leisure, Wilderness Management · Social and Cultural Dynamics · Social Psychology · Gerontology