a growing experience - Student Services - University of Melbourne

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HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF INTERNATIONAL STUDENTSinfluential. Different patterns of faculty-based student perceptions can be seen in thedata, providing specific and different challenges for the various faculties.Cultural background: Several variables provide differing measures related to culturalbackground. On the basis of these, two general patterns of cultural adaptation can beseen in the data. Both patterns show areas of strength as well as concern.The first pattern is associated with Asian countries, though differences among thoseAsian countries can be seen as well. The main elements of the pattern are highersocial interaction with co-culturals and lower interaction with Australians, highinvolvement in religious groups by students from Muslim countries, higher culturalstress and stress from family expectations, lower involvement in paid work forstudents from wealthier areas, higher levels of depression and anxiety, lower levels ofself-esteem, and lower use of drugs and alcohol.The second pattern is associated with English-speaking, European and westernisedcountries. It is characterised by lower social interaction with co-culturals and higherinteraction with Australians, greater involvement in university clubs but lowerparticipation in national, cultural and religious groups, lower cultural stress resultingfrom trying to meet family expectations, higher satisfaction with living arrangementsbut lower satisfaction with the level of financial support, a stronger sense of lifestylebalance, fewer worries about poor health interfering with work, higher levels of selfesteem,a greater number of sexual partners while in Australia, and higher use ofdrugs and alcohol.Perceived academic progress: Students who feel their academic progress is as good asor better than expected have a significantly stronger sense of well-being than thosewho feel their progress is worse than expected. This difference is to be found invirtually every aspect of each domain investigated.12. Three styles of adaptation to life and study in AustraliaA three-category typology of styles of adaptation has been developed on the basis ofstudent responses across the domains investigated. The majority of students, 59 percent, exhibit a positive, connected style of adaptation; these students have a soundsense of well-being. A substantial minority of students, 34 per cent, are unconnectedand stressed in their approach, while a very small group, 7 per cent, have a distressedand risk-taking mode of adaptation. The latter two groups of students are the oneswhose well-being is in need of strengthening. With appropriate support, thesestudents could have much more satisfying and productive experiences as universitystudents in Australia.Some validation of the interpretation of the typology is provided by the predicteddifferences that were found in students’ satisfaction, psychological states andbehaviour in different domains, based on their styles of adaptation: perceived needand actual use of university health and counselling services, social mixing, belongingto organisations, satisfaction with living arrangements, level of self-esteem, and levelof stress associated with the need to do well academically for the sake of the family.Rosenthal, Russell & Thomson, 2006 7
HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF INTERNATIONAL STUDENTSTypologies need to be approached with caution. However, this classification ofgeneral styles of student adaptation to university life offers potentially usefulinformation for those concerned with assisting students and targeting their needs.It is also suggested that the typology could well apply to all university students,whether domestic or international. While the challenge of adapting to university lifeis generally much less for domestic students, they still confront cultural changesrequiring adaptation. These could include the change from school to university lifeand from living at home in rural, interstate or New Zealand locations to living inMelbourne. Domestic students also include many first and second generation citizensfrom a range of other cultures. It would be interesting to see whether domesticstudents show evidence of the same three modes of adaptation to university life andlife in Melbourne.Rosenthal, Russell & Thomson, 2006 8
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