Abstract

The study aimed to examine the moderating effect of Communicative Difficulties, Life Difficulties in Korea, and Adaptation to Korean Culture between School Adjustment and Stress, and to test difference of estimating College Life Stress of Chinese international undergraduates (CIUs) between Chinese and Korean. CIUs (n=100) and Korean undergraduates (n=98) attending a university in Seoul participated in the questionnaire study. Results indicated that School Adjustment was explained negatively by College Life Stress, and positively by Adaptation to Korean culture. Also, Life Difficulties in Korea of CIUs played a moderating role between School Adjustment and College Life Stress. The difference of estimating CIUs' college life stress between Chinese and Korean was as follows: The Korean undergraduates perceived CIUs feeling higher College Life Stress than those who actually experienced it. Despite Korean's perceiving it, CIUs realized higher Study Stress. Finally, the findings were discussed in relation to relevant theories and research, and their implications for college life adjustment and limitations of the present study were suggested. (Korean J Str Res 2010;18:145∼152)

• Keywords: Chinese International Undergraduates (CIUs), College life stress, School adjustment, Communicative Difficulties, Life Difficulties in Korea;