Social self-efficacy mediates WeChat use and cross-cultural adaptation among international students in Chengdu, China
Social media supports international students to become more integrated into the host culture during their adaptation and to maintain ties with people their home country. In China, WeChat has the social attributes to help international students to cope with academic and social challenges in the ho...
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| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Asian Scholars Network (ASNet)
2024
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://ir.unimas.my/id/eprint/47182/1/2024_Zhang_Mediate_Chengdu_IJBTM_6%283%29_pp393-405.pdf http://ir.unimas.my/id/eprint/47182/ https://myjms.mohe.gov.my/index.php/ijbtm/article/view/27781 https://doi.org/10.55057/ijbtm.2024.6.3.37 |
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| Summary: | Social media supports international students to become more integrated into the
host culture during their adaptation and to maintain ties with people their home country. In
China, WeChat has the social attributes to help international students to cope with academic
and social challenges in the host society but it seems that personal self-confidence may affect
sociocultural adjustment. The study examines the relationship between WeChat use, social selfefficacy and cross-cultural adaptation among international students in China. The preliminary
study involved 24 international students in China who filled in an online questionnaire on
cross-cultural exposure, WeChat usage, social self-efficacy and cross-cultural adaptation was
formulated. The results showed frequent WeChat use, and it helped the respondents to learn
Chinese language skills, make friends, and obtain social support to deal with study and life
problems. They also reported positive attitudes towards their social skills and confidence in
their host countries, but they were less confident when talking to strangers or expressing their
opinions. Nevertheless, the respondents reported satisfactory cross-cultural adaptation
because of the support from classmates, teachers, and the university. However, they were
neutral on whether they have integrated into the culture in China, or felt capable talking to
locals and making decisions. Our findings indicated that social self-efficacy exerts an indirect
effect on the unidirectional link between social use of WeChat and cross-cultural adaptation. |
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