Stress of Cultural Adaption Perceived by International Students Living in South Korea – Focused on Q Methodology

Abstract

This study was designed to understand how international students in South Korea perceived their stress in order to adjust new different culture compared to their own one. In terms of statistics, authors used Q methodology and analyzed personal characteristics, eigenvalues, variance, correlation and z-scores through using the QUANL PC program with scored twenty-eight Q statements among twenty international students lived in South Korea.There were three factors, which accounted for the differences among six types with their self-perception of stress for cultural adaption with from the most agreeable statements to the most disagreeable ones. All six types showed their own perception about the stress of cultural adoption without any similarity. This research showed that international students studying in Korea perceived as a stress to adapt to the culture of being disadvantaged and not being treated the same as Koreans because of their skin color, their own culture and prejudice about themselves, while using Korean or eating Korean food was relatively low as perceived stress of cultural adaptation.The authors will anticipate that through the results of this research, Korean society can use it as useful basic data for practical intervention cultural adjustment stress of foreign students residing in Korea.