Primary Sources of Acculturative Stress among Students Pursuing Higher Education
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Abstract
The purpose of this study is to find out the primary sources and the level of acculturative stress among non-resident students enrolled in higher education institutions (HEIs) in Mizoram. It also aims to study if there is a significant difference between males and females on acculturative stress among non-resident students. The sample of the study consists of 51 non-resident students of Mizoram University. A self-developed Acculturative Stress Scale for non-resident students in HEIs in Mizoram was used as the research tool. The tool consists of 34 items with six dimensions: homesickness, food preferences, social behaviour and language, cultural values, prejudice and racial discrimination, and isolation. This study used statistical techniques such as mean, standard deviations, and t-test. Findings showed that most students (n=41) fall on the “mild” level of acculturative stress. The remaining students (n=10) fall on the “high” level of acculturative stress. The primary source of acculturative stress is found to be a language barrier. There is no significant difference found concerning gender on the level of acculturative stress.