Influence Of Self-Expansion Motivation And Intercultural Friendship Variables On Chinese International Students Toward A Positive Acculturation Orientation

Based on Berry’s seminal work on the acculturation process,this study examines the influence of sociodemographic factors(gender,age,length of stay,language proficiency,perceived cultural difference,cultural maintenance)and predictors(selfexpansion motivation,intention of acculturation-related self-disclosure,and friendship closeness)on Chinese international students’ acculturation orientation toward American culture.Hierarchical regression analysis was used to determine the predictive power of identified factor and further examined the effect of intercultural friendship closeness over and above self-expansion.Results further showed that besides cultural maintenance,the examined demographic factors had no significant influence on dependent variable;however,introducing self-expansion to the regression analysis positively changed the significance of cultural maintenance and gender.Findings also provide valuable insights for education workers to manage effective acculturation programs and provide efficient guidance for educational sojourners.