The interplay between social support, acculturative stress, perceived stress and generalized anxiety among international students

Abstract

Drawing from diversity science principles (Miller et al., Journal of Social Issues, 75, 1240-1261, 2019), this study examined how social support, acculturative stress and perceived stress influence generalized anxiety in a diverse sample of international students. Using an intersectional lens, the present study also tried to test Berry's (Applied Psychology: An International Review, 46, 5-34, 1997) acculturative stress model and assess the main effect hypothesis within a diverse cohort of international students. A sample of 190 international students (84 female, 105 male) enrolled at Kastamonu University was recruited for this study, with a mean age of 20.87 years (SD = 2.79). In addition to gathering demographic information, participants were administered the Acculturative Stress Scale for International Students, the Perceived Stress Scale, the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale- 7. The analysis revealed that (i) demographic factors did not significantly influence generalized anxiety, (ii) social support from different sources did not significantly impact the acculturation process of the students, (iii) acculturative stress and perceived stress independently contributed to generalized anxiety, and (iv) perceived stress partially mediates the relationship between acculturative stress and generalized anxiety. These findings highlight the need for universities to prioritize mental health support and to develop targeted interventions aimed at promoting the well-being of international students, considering their specific challenges and requirements.