International Students Social Media Usage and Acculturative Stress

Introduction: The United States serves as a leading destination among international students for higher education. According to Kent State’s Office of Global Education (OGE), the university enrolled 2,913 international students as of Fall 2016 and nearly 7.5% of the students attending the Kent campus are international- twice the U.S. average. While our campus welcomes international students with open arms, many of them may experience acculturative stress while they endure the many challenges that come with attending college in a different country. Currently, there is insufficient research on the influence that social media use has on acculturative stress. Therefore, this study aims to address this gap and examine if international students’ usage of social media for the purposes of both giving and receiving support can decrease their experience with acculturative stress. Methods: Using a cross sectional survey design International students at Kent State University will be recruited to complete an online survey. Data will be collected using the Media and Technology Usage and Attitude Scale (MTUAS) and the Acculturative Stress Scale for International Students (ASSIS). Results: At the completion of the study, our results will inform faculty and university staff of the potential importance of access to web-based platforms and the importance of social support through social media for student success and coping with acculturative stress. Key words: Social media, acculturative stress, international students.