Acculturation, social connectedness, and subjective well-being among Chinese international students: A test of Berry's acculturation framework

Based on Berry’s (1997) acculturation framework on acculturation and adjustment, this study examined the link from acculturation experience (i.e., acculturation and enculturation) through coping strategies (i.e., social connectedness) to long-term outcomes (i.e., future subjective well-being SWB). Two hypotheses were proposed. First, it was expected that social connectedness in mainstream society (i.e., Mainstream SC) would mediate the association between acculturation and future SWB (i.e., life satisfaction, positive affect, and negative affect). Second, it was expected that social connectedness in the ethnic community (i.e., Ethnic SC) would mediate the association between enculturation and future SWB. Using a longitudinal design, a total of 203 Chinese international students completed an online survey at two time points. General social connectedness at Time 1 and SWB (i.e., life satisfaction, positive affect, and negative affect) at Time 1 were controlled for in this study. The results partially supported the above two mediation hypotheses. First, Mainstream SC at Time 2 partially mediated the association between acculturation at Time 1 and life satisfaction and positive affect at Time 2 (but not for negative affect at Time 2). Second, Ethnic SC at Time 2 partially mediated the association between enculturation at Time 1 and negative affect at Time 2 (but not for life satisfaction and positive affect at Time 2). Furthermore, unexpectedly, Mainstream SC at Time 2 partially mediated the association between enculturation at Time 1 and life satisfaction and positive affect at Time 2 (but not negative affect at Time 1). Limitations, future research directions and implications were also discussed.