Acculturative Stress, Psychological Adaptation, Psychological Resilience
Conditions
Brief summary
This study evaluated a psychoeducational program developed to support psychological adaptation and resilience among first-year international university students experiencing elevated acculturative stress. Participants who met the study eligibility criteria were assigned to one of three study conditions: a cognitive-behavioral psychoeducation group, a placebo-control group receiving career guidance activities, or a waiting-list control group. The psychoeducational intervention was delivered over eight weeks. Psychological adaptation, resilience, and acculturative stress-related outcomes were assessed using standardized self-report measures before and after the intervention. The study aimed to examine whether participation in the psychoeducational program was associated with changes in these psychological outcomes compared with the two control conditions.
Interventions
BEHAVIORALCognitive-Behavioral Psychoeducational Program
The intervention consisted of a structured cognitive-behavioral psychoeducational program designed to support psychological adaptation and resilience and to address acculturative stress among international students. The program was delivered once weekly for eight weeks, for a total of eight sessions. Sessions included psychoeducational and cognitive-behavioral activities focusing on cultural adaptation, coping with acculturative stress, and psychological resilience.
BEHAVIORALCareer-Guidance Psychoeducational Program
Participants received a career-guidance psychoeducational program designed to provide information and activities related to career development. The program was delivered once weekly for eight weeks, for a total of eight sessions. It did not include the cognitive-behavioral components specifically targeting psychological adaptation, resilience, or acculturative stress.
Sponsors
European University of Lefke
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Intervention model description
Participants were randomly assigned in a 1:1:1 ratio to one of three parallel study arms: a cognitive-behavioral psychoeducation group, a placebo-control group, or a waiting-list control group.
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* Scoring more than one standard deviation above the overall sample mean on the Acculturative Stress Scale for International Students (ASSIS). * Being a first-year international student enrolled at the study university. * Providing written informed consent. * Being able to attend the eight-week intervention program regularly.
Exclusion criteria
* Not meeting the predefined ASSIS criterion for elevated acculturative stress. * Not being a first-year international student. * Not providing written informed consent. * Being unable to attend the eight-week intervention program regularly.
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Change in Acculturative Stress | Baseline and immediately after the 8-week intervention | Acculturative stress was assessed using the Acculturative Stress Scale for International Students (ASSIS), developed by Sandhu and Asrabadi (1994). The ASSIS consists of 36 items rated on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). Total scores range from 36 to 180, with higher scores indicating greater acculturative stress. Change in ASSIS total scores from baseline to post-intervention was evaluated. |
Countries
Turkey (Türkiye)
Outcome results
None listed