Coping with culture shock: a study of stressors, adjustments and stereotypes among chinese students at bangkok university

Data collection

All interviews are recorded by writing or voice recorder. And those interviewees are interviewed during 7 Nov to 27 Dec, 2008. Length of Interview is set in 30 minutes. Place of interviews are set in preference of each respondent. Generally, interview places include city campus of Bangkok University, respondents’ apartments, and coffee shops. In addition, some interviews are conducted by mobile calling; thus, there is no specific place for interview.

4. Data analysis

After data is collected from 40 respondents, content of interviews are in 4 groups based on criteria of culture shock.

Those 40 respondents are selected and grouped according to individual respondents’ length of staying in Thailand. Those 4 groups are 0-6 months group (0-6 months of staying), 6-18 months group (6-18 months of staying), 18-30 months group (18-30 months of staying), and 30 up months group (more than 30 months of staying); and each group consist of 10 respondents.

In each group, every respondent’s respondency is categorized into stressors, coping method, and (or) adjustment; and, summary of 10 respondents’ respondency is presented in a table with characteristics of stressors, coping methods and adjustment. Totally, there are 4 tables are summarized for 4 groups of respondents.

In addition, a summary of stereotypes, which are hold by respondents, is presented as last part of research findings. Respondents’ stereotypes are presented in pre- arrival and post-arrival separately. In pre-arrival, all of respondents’ stereotypes are listed in one table; and, in post-arrival, respondents’ stereotypes are listed in 4 groups based on criteria of culture shock.

At the end, a brief comparison is made based on summary of each group’s stressors, coping methods and adjustment. Also, differences among each group in terms of stressors, coping methods and adjustment are indicated and briefly summarized in research findings. Moreover, a comparison of coping method and adjustment among those 4 groups is presented in research finding part. In addition, a contrast, between pre- arrival and post-arrival, is presented in research findings as well.

Descriptive analysis is used in the data analysis process and research findings are gain from interview summary and contrast of findings.