Friendship Across Cultures: Supporting Unaccompanied, International High School Students with Intercultural Friendships

This dissertation examined the characteristics and socio-emotional needs of international Chinese students in Canadian high schools and evaluated the outcomes of a program designed to reduce acculturative stress, provide social support, and promote intercultural friendship between international and Canadian students. Twenty-four international students from China (mean age = 16.25 years), eight Canadian students (mean age = 15.56 years), and four teachers from two schools in a large Canadian multicultural metropolis participated in this research. Students participated in the Friendship Across Cultures program in one of two groups: monocultural (international students only) and intercultural (both international and Canadian students). Qualitative and quantitative data were collected pre- and post-intervention on language/literacy skills, acculturative stress, and intercultural and psychosocial functioning. Data on pre-intervention cognitive skills were also gathered. Study 1 examined the needs and characteristics of international, Chinese high school students in Canada from student and teacher perspectives. Most students demonstrated low levels of English ability, wished for more Canadian friends, and did not appear to have clinical levels of mental health symptoms and acculturative stress. They participated in the 10-session Friendship Across Cultures afterschool program, which focused on psychoeducation and social support. Study 2 provides the results of the program evaluation. While comparisons of pre- and post-intervention data were not significant, effect sizes suggested unexpected trends: decreased self-reported intercultural communication competence and increased acculturative stress. Trends were more heightened for intercultural group participants than monocultural group participants, perhaps due to increased self-awareness from cross-cultural contact. Nevertheless, participants in the intercultural group tended to rate the program more positively and did not demonstrate a corresponding increase in psychological symptoms, in contrast to the monocultural group. Exit interviews illustrated that intercultural participants made Canadian friends, increased their understanding of Canadians, and practiced English. Monocultural participants endorsed more knowledge-based aspects (e.g., learning about mental health, how to make friends, and how to adapt to Canadian life). Canadian students endorsed increased understanding of international students, increased empathy for their needs and challenges, learning how to befriend international students, and the value of reaching out. These findings warrant further study. Clinical and educational implications are discussed.Ph.D