Date of Award

1-1-2016

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Ph.D.

Organizational Unit

Morgridge College of Education, Counseling Psychology

First Advisor

Ruth (Chu-Lien) Chao, Ph.D.

Second Advisor

Patton Garriott

Third Advisor

Cynthia McRae

Fourth Advisor

Reid Trotter

Fifth Advisor

Jennifer Cornish

Keywords

International student experience, Acculturative stress, Stigma, Behavioral healthcare

Abstract

The intention of this study was to better understand the international student experience. The present study examined the relationships between acculturative stress, stigma, and behavioral healthcare, using Berry's Theory of Acculturation. A sample (N = 135) of international students completed measures of acculturative stress, perceived social support, self-stigma for seeking help, and perceived stigma by others for seeking help . Results of a hierarchical regression analysis indicated that acculturative stress is a statistically significant predictor of perceived stigma by others for seeking help, and that acculturative stress is not a statistically significant predictor of self-stigma for seeking help. Moderation analyses indicated that an introduction to behavioral health did not significantly impact the prediction of acculturative stress on perceived stigma by others. To date, this is the only study to examine the relationships between acculturative stress, stigma, and behavioral health in international students, and as such has implications for future research, academic training, and student affairs' recruitment efforts.

Publication Statement

Copyright is held by the author. User is responsible for all copyright compliance.

Rights Holder

Brinda Prabhakar-Gippert

Provenance

Received from ProQuest

File Format

application/pdf

Language

en

File Size

151 p.

Discipline

Psychology

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