Lomonosov Psychology Journal
ISSN 0137-0936
eISSN 2309-9852
En Ru
ISSN 0137-0936
eISSN 2309-9852

Article

Zhdanova S.Yu., Fedotova V.A. (2018). Coping strategies as adaptation mechanisms of foreign students to the new requirements of the educational environment. Moscow University Psychology Bulletin, 4, 89-105

Abstract

Relevance. The growing interest to studying foreign students and the creation of a favorable educational environment for them makes urgent to study the strategies of sociocultural adaptation of representatives of different cultures.

Objective. Identification of the coping strategies features and differences in the scales of sociocultural adaptation among foreign students, depending on their belonging to culture.

Methodology. Two questionnaires were used: the "Revised Sociocultural Adaptation Scale (SCAS-R)" (J. Wilson) and "Strategic Approach to Coping Scale - SACS" (Vodopyanova and E.S. Starchenkova). The study involved students from the CIS countries (Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, n = 65) and from China (n = 39), studying in Russian universities.

Results. Representatives of the CIS countries revealed dominance of the indirect and passive (cautious model of behavior) coping strategies. Prosocial coping strategy (seeking social support and entering into social contact) dominates among students from China. Also differences between groups on academic adaptation and the level of knowledge of the Russian language were found.

Conclusions. Representatives of the highly contextual and reactive culture (Chinese students) mostly difficult adapt to the specifics of education, the requirements of higher education and communication in the native language of the host country. The same type of culture underlies the formation of a prosocial coping strategy. Representatives of polyactive and polychronic culture (students from the CIS countries) are dominated by indirect and passive coping strategies.

Sections: Empirical studies;

Received: 07/09/2018
Accepted: 08/03/2018
Pages: 89-105
DOI: 10.11621/vsp.2018.04.89

Keywords: culture; coping strategies; behavior model; sociocultural adaptation; adaptation scales;

Available Online 01.12.2018

Table 1.

Стратегии преодоления



Модель поведения (действия)



Студенты из стран СНГ



Студенты из Китая



Степень выражен- ности



Станд. откл.



Степень выражен- ности



Станд. откл.



Активная



Ассертивные действия



20.5



0.64



19.8



0.83



Просоциальная



Вступление в социальной контакт



22.5



0.95



26.2



0.90



Просоциальная



Поиск социальной поддержки



21.0



0.73



28.0



0.74



Пассивная



Осторожные действия



22.85



0.99



24.2



0.69



Прямая



Импульсивные действия



20.4



0.71



20.6



0.93



Пассивная



Избегание



19.65



0.68



22.6



0.84



Непрямая



Непрямые действия



23.25



0.82



20.0



0.61



Асоциальная



Асоциальные действия



19.95



0.90



24.58



0.85



Асоциальная



Агрессивные действия



21.05



0.82



22.16



0.75



Table 2.

Шкалы



Студенты из стран СНГ



Студенты из Китая



Среднее



Min— Max



Ст. откл.



Cреднее



Min— Max



Ст. откл.



Межличностное общение



3.85



1—5



1.07



4.23



2—5



1.05



Учебная (академическая) адаптация



4.21**



3—5



0.75



3.20**



2—5



0.90



Наличие интересов и групповая вовлеченность



3.62



2—5



1.04



3.50



1—5



1.23



Экологическая адаптация



3.30



1—5



1.06



3.25



1—5



1.29



Уровень владения русским языком



4.35*



1—5



1.09



3.70*



2—5



1.10



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For citing this article:

Zhdanova S.Yu., Fedotova V.A. (2018). Coping strategies as adaptation mechanisms of foreign students to the new requirements of the educational environment. Moscow University Psychology Bulletin, 4, 89-105