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Reverse Culture Shock and Romantic Relationships in College Students Reentering After Study Abroad

Tohyama, Natsuko
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1206387236

Abstract Details

2008, Master of Arts (MA), Bowling Green State University, College Student Personnel.
This purpose of this study was to examine if there were significant differences in reverse culture shock levels experienced by study abroad returnees who remained together with their romantic partners through the reentry experience and those who separated from partners, by male and female returnees, and by returnees with short-term, mid-term, or long-term study abroad experiences. To measure reverse culture shock levels, the study used a modified version of the Homecomer Culture Shock Scales (HCSS) questionnaire by J. S. Fray (1988), which has four subscales: Cultural Distance (CD), Interpersonal Distance (ID), Grief (G), and Moral Distance (MD). It included an open-ended question about readjustment experiences of participants. The survey was distributed to past study abroad students at Bowling Green State University, yielding 85 participants. Quantitative data were analyzed using two-way analyses of variance and post-hoc tests. The significance level for all tests was set at .05. Qualitative data from the open-ended question were analyzed categorically and thematically. There were no main effects of gender or interaction effects of study abroad duration and relationship change for any of the scales. Participants who broke up with their romantic partners demonstrated significantly higher levels of reverse culture shock overall and Cultural Distance and Moral Distance compared to participants who did not break up. Women who experienced break up reported significantly higher levels of Interpersonal Distance only. Returnees from long-term study abroad scored higher on the HCSS and the Grief subscale compared to returnees from short-term experiences only. Responses to the open-ended question about readjustment were classified as predominantly positive (14), predominantly negative (32), mixed positive and negative (31), and neither positive nor negative (7). Themes found were structural readjustment, readjustment to way of life in the US, comparisons of American and study abroad location cultures, boredom at lack of adventure, homesickness for study abroad location, being misunderstood by others, confronting changes at home and in relationships, happiness at returning to the familiar, and challenge and growth. The results indicate that students must often renegotiate romantic relationships upon reentry and this readjustment process can be problematic. Study abroad and international student services offices should address romantic relationships and close relationships in general in reentry assistance.
Michael Coomes, PhD (Committee Chair)
Patricia Kubow, PhD (Committee Member)
Michael Dannells, PhD (Committee Member)
88 p.
Higher Education
study abroad; culture shock; cultural adjustment; reentry; reverse culture shock; readjustment; romantic relationship

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Tohyama, N. (2008). Reverse Culture Shock and Romantic Relationships in College Students Reentering After Study Abroad [Master's thesis, Bowling Green State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1206387236

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Tohyama, Natsuko. Reverse Culture Shock and Romantic Relationships in College Students Reentering After Study Abroad. 2008. Bowling Green State University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1206387236.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Tohyama, Natsuko. "Reverse Culture Shock and Romantic Relationships in College Students Reentering After Study Abroad." Master's thesis, Bowling Green State University, 2008. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1206387236

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

bgsu1206387236
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© 2008, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by Bowling Green State University and OhioLINK.