Internal and External Resources for Acculturation Adaptation in Chinese Students Living in Japan

Abstract

Acculturation adaptation was investigated from the perspective of conservation of resources theory developed by Hobfoll. Internal resources (personality, resource management, and social support seeking), external resource (received social support) and acculturation adaptation (sociocultural and psychological adaptation), were examined in Chinese students living in Japan (N=251, aged 20–24 years). The Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) was used to assess their personality. The results of correlation analysis indicated that novelty seeking; reward-dependence, resource management and social support seeking were significantly related to received social support, suggesting that internal resources affected the social support received by an individual. Furthermore, the hypothesized resource model for acculturation adaptation was tested. The results supported this model, and suggested different influences on social support and acculturation adaptation based on different personality characteristics. It is concluded that social support plays a mediatory role between personality and adaptation.