Adjustment patterns of international students in Japan

Abstract Cross-cultural adjustment of international students in Japan was approached through a comprehensive questionnaire that looked at various aspects of adjustment. Some 237 students of various national backgrounds participated in the study. Four factors of adjustment were attained: general adjustment, internally controlled adjustment, affiliation adjustment, and externally dependent adjustment. These four facets were analyzed with respect to several demographic traits of respondents. Some of the more important findings include the following: Asian subjects generally were less adjusted than those of Western and Latin American cultures; U-curve patterns with time were not evident in three of the four factors; those more proficient in the Japanese language did not prove to be generally better off than those less fortunate; and scholarship recipients were better adjusted than those relying on private sources for funding.