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Acculturation strategies, social support, and cross-cultural adaptation: a mediation analysis

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Abstract

Previous acculturation research has established the influences of acculturation strategies and social support on cross-cultural adaptation. The present study attempted to elaborate these direct associations by proposing that social support and the use of the integration and marginalization strategies might affect psychological adaptation indirectly, via their influences on sociocultural adaptation. Two hundred and twelve Mainland Chinese students studying at a university in Hong Kong completed measures of psychological and sociocultural adaptation, the integration and marginalization strategies, and social support. Analyses using structural equation modeling (SEM) showed that sociocultural adaptation significantly mediated the effects of integration, marginalization, and social support on psychological adaptation. The direct impacts of social support and the two acculturation strategies on psychological adaptation were not significant. A multigroup SEM analysis revealed no gender differences in the full mediation model. Implications of the findings are discussed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Applied Social Studies, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong

    Ting Kin Ng

  2. Faculty of Education, University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong

    Kwok Kuen Tsang & Yi Lian

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  1. Ting Kin Ng
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  2. Kwok Kuen Tsang
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  3. Yi Lian
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Correspondence to Kwok Kuen Tsang.

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Ng, T.K., Tsang, K.K. & Lian, Y. Acculturation strategies, social support, and cross-cultural adaptation: a mediation analysis. Asia Pacific Educ. Rev. 14, 593–601 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12564-013-9285-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12564-013-9285-6

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