The Influence of Acculturation Strategies, Ethnic Identity, Cultural Distance on the Socio-Cultural Adaptation of Students from Arab Countries

Abstract

Objectives. Identification and analysis of the influence of acculturation strategies, ethnic identity, cultural distance on the socio-cultural adaptation of students from Arab countries (Morocco, Syria, Egypt). Background. In the present study, we consider ethnic identity, cultural distance, and acculturation strategies as predictors of socio-cultural adaptation. Ethnic identity is associated with a person’s sense of belonging to a particular ethnic group. Cultural distance has an impact on the adaptation of immigrants. At the same time, the higher the level of cultural distance, the more difficult it is to adapt. Study design. The study was conducted using a socio-psychological survey. Special tools were used to measure acculturation strategies, ethnic identity, cultural distance and socio-cultural adaptation. For data processing and analysis, descriptive statistics, analysis of variance and regression analysis implemented in the SPSS 22.0 program were used. Participants. The respondents in the presented study were first, second and third year students from Arab countries (Morocco, Syria, Egypt). Currently, the respondents are studying at the universities of Perm, Moscow, Astrakhan, Kazan, Nizhny Novgorod, St. Petersburg. The total number of respondents was 248 (56 from Syria, 84 from Egypt, 108 from Morocco). The average age of the respondents is 28 years (the minimum age is 20 years, the maximum is 34 years). Measurements. “Acculturation Strategies” (Berry, 2014); scales for measuring sociocultural adaptation (Ward and Kennedy, 1993); J. Finney’s method, which measures the degree of ethnic identity; scales for measuring cultural distance (Wark, Galliher, 2007). Results. Cultural distance has an impact on socio-cultural adaptation. Among young migrants from Arab countries (Syria, Egypt and Morocco), ethnic identity and acculturation strategies do not affect socio-cultural adaptation. Conclusions. The data obtained contribute to the further development of ideas about the role of cultural distance, ethnic identity, and acculturation strategies in adaptation among foreign students from Morocco, Syria and Egypt. The data obtained in the study can be used in the development of adaptation programs for foreign students from Arab countries studying in Russian universities.