Exploring Internet Motives and Life Satisfaction Among Hungarian and Israeli Medical Students, Living in Hungary

Objective Using the Internet can influence psychological well-being, for instance life satisfaction has been negatively related to Internet uses. The first aim of this study was to compare the motives for Internet use and life satisfaction. The second aim was to explore nation- and gender-based differences in Internet uses. Method The questionnaires related to Internet motives and life satisfaction, and were filled out by 300 medical students, including 150 Israeli students (75 females, 75 males) and 150 Hungarian students (75 females, 75 males). Results In the Israeli and Hungarian sample, the entertainment motive was rated the highest while the escape motive was rated the lowest. There were significant differences between the Israeli male and female students in arousal and information-seeking, while for the Hungarian male and female students there were significant differences for pass time. Life satisfaction was higher in the Israeli sample. In both samples it was shown that the higher the life satisfaction was, the less likely the students were to use the Internet for companionship purposes. Again in both samples, a higher life satisfaction predicted less frequent use of the Internet for the social interaction motives.     

大学生网络幸福感的特点及其与网络使用偏好的关系

采用自编的大学生网络幸福感问卷、网络使用偏好问卷,对400名大学生进行测试,以探索大学生网络幸福感的特点及其与网络使用偏好的关系。结果表明：（1）大学生的网络幸福感总体处于中等偏上水平,网络使用偏好中休闲娱乐维度的得分最高,网络使用偏好类型中普通型居主导地位;（2）网络幸福感和网络使用偏好类型存在显著正相关,其中与休闲娱乐偏好的相关最高;（3）回归分析结果表明,休闲娱乐偏好对网络幸福感有正向预测作用,游戏偏好对网络幸福感中的便利感、活力感、自由感因子有预测作用。     

Stressful life events, motives for Internet use, and social support among digital kids.

This study presents the interrelationships between stressful life events, motives for Internet use, social support, and the use of the Internet among a sample of adolescents and children aged 8 to 18 (N = 717). The results show that stressful life events are significantly associated with the consumption of the Internet for mood management (such as entertainment and information seeking) and social compensation (such as recognition gaining and relationship maintenance) motives. Secondly, the more children and adolescents exhibit high levels of social support, either online or offline, the less they find stressful life events upsetting. Thirdly, as individuals exhibit greater ability to personally access different types of social support to meet their needs, their motivations for Internet use are characteristically more allied to mood-management and social-compensation. This study reasserts that the mental and physical impact of stressful life events are in fact buffered by one's degree of social support and Internet use, particular examples of which are entertainment and relationship maintenance, and positive coping strategies, which temporarily reduce stress and anxiety.     

压力事件对初中生抑郁的影响:网络使用动机与网络使用强度的作用

为探讨压力事件对初中生抑郁的影响以及网络使用动机和网络使用强度在其中的作用,采用生活事件量表,网络使用动机量表,网络使用强度量表和流调中心用抑郁量表对武汉市内两所中学的913名初中生进行调查。结果发现：（1）压力事件与网络使用动机、网络使用强度和抑郁均呈显著正相关; （2）压力事件正向预测网络使用动机与网络使用强度,网络使用动机正向预测网络使用强度,网络使用强度正向预测抑郁; （3）网络使用动机中,社会补偿动机正向预测抑郁,而好友联系动机与休闲娱乐动机负向预测抑郁; （4）压力事件通过网络使用动机和网络使用强度的链式中介作用影响抑郁。研究结果强调压力事件不仅可以直接影响初中生抑郁,还可以通过网络使用动机和网络使用强度间接影响初中生抑郁。     

Predictors of Depression and Anxiety Among International Students

The role of gender, age, race/ethnicity, length of stay, social support, and proficiency in English in the variance in depression and anxiety among international students revealed that social support was a significant predictor of depression and anxiety among international students. Age significantly contributed to the variance in anxiety, and self‐rated English proficiency uniquely contributed to the variance in both depression and anxiety. Latino/a students had significantly higher levels of depression than did Asian students.     

互联网使用动机、行为与其社会-心理健康的模型构建

以581名大学生为被试,采用结构方程模型技术构建了互联网使用动机、病理性互联网使用行为与其相关社会-心理健康的关系模型。其中,互联网使用动机包括信息获取性动机和人际情感性动机两种模式;病理性互联网使用行为包括上网冲动性、分离/逃避和网上优越感三个初级因素;互联网相关社会-心理健康包括孤独感、社会参与度、一般抑郁、生活幸福感和生活满意度五个初级因素,并进一步概括为社会健康和心理健康两个维度。研究结果表明,基于信息获取性动机而使用互联网有助于相关社会-心理健康水平的提高;基于人际情感性动机而使用互联网更容易导致病理性互联网使用行为,并由此对使用者的社会-心理健康产生负面影响;大学生使用互联网的积极效应大于消极效应,且信息获取性动机对社会健康具有更大的积极效应,而人际情感性动机对对心理健康具有更大的消极效应     

Internet for the internationals: effects of internet use motivations on international students' college adjustment

Drawing upon the uses and gratifications approach, the current study examined how international students' Internet use motivations affect their academic, social, and emotional adjustments in the new environment. A total of 166 Chinese students studying in Korea participated in a web-based survey. First, a factor analysis identified four distinct motivations for Internet use: homeland orientation (to stay connected to the home country), local information seeking (to learn about the host society), local social interaction (to form interpersonal relationships locally), and entertainment. After controlling for the effects of sociodemographic variables (i.e., gender, year at school, length of residence, Korean language proficiency) and personality traits (i.e., extraversion, openness to experience, neuroticism), Internet use motivations were found to be significant predictors of international students' social and emotional adjustments. Specifically, those seeking to build a local social network through the Internet reported greater satisfaction with their social life, whereas homeland orientation was associated with poorer emotional adaptation. Various Internet activities, such as e-mail, blogging, and instant messaging, were not significantly related to college adjustments, suggesting the multi-functionality of Internet-based communication channels.     

Microblogging, online expression, and political efficacy among young chinese citizens: the moderating role of information and entertainment needs in the use of weibo

In 2011, China's Internet population reached over half a billion users and the popular Twitter-like social networking service, Weibo, has been adopted by half of the users since its launch in August 2009. Given the potential of the Internet to facilitate a civic culture in the authoritarian state, the use of Weibo and its effects on citizens' political attitudes and behaviors are of important concern. A survey of 499 Weibo users found that intensity of use was related to increased willingness to express opinions about government and politics, the perception that one has the ability to participate in politics, and feelings that the government is not responsive to the demands of citizens. Moreover, the above relationships were moderated by the motivations of Weibo use, such that information motives strengthened the relationships while entertainment motives weakened the relationships.     

Acculturation,self‐construal,mental and physical health: An explorative study of East Asian students in Germany

The present study explores acculturation and its associated aspects of two East Asian student groups with different levels of exposure to German culture (100 international students from East Asian countries [IS]; 61 second generation students of East Asian descent [SGS]). First, we investigated the relationships between acculturation, self‐construal, depressive and somatic symptoms, and differences between the student groups in these variables. Second, the four acculturation types (integration, assimilation, separation and marginalization) were examined regarding their relationship to self‐construal and health outcomes. The results showed that the acculturation dimensions (mainstream, heritage) were relevant to the level of depressive symptoms for IS which was not the case for SGS. Furthermore, IS reported more somatic symptoms whereas there was no difference between the two groups in the level of depressive symptoms. In the analysis of acculturation types, assimilated and integrated students were characterized by high independent self‐construal, while separated and integrated students showed high interdependent self‐construal. Assimilated students displayed the least depressive symptoms of all acculturation groups. This study highlights different characteristics of East Asian students in acculturation, self‐construal and health outcomes, and discusses the complexity of the relationships between acculturation types and health.     

The Effect of Native-Language Retention and Insecurity on Asian Indian Fertility in the United States

Abstract

The relationship of social/psychological insecurity and native-language retention to fertility was explored among a nationally representative sample of 3,408 endogamously wed Asian Indian women living in the United States. Native-language retention had a negative impact on Asian Indian women's fertility that cannot be explained by the normative dimension of the minority group status hypothesis (Goldscheider &; Uhlenberg, 1969); therefore, alternative explanations for minority fertility differentials are required.     

Stress and quality of life in international and domestic university students: cultural differences in the use of religious coping

Studying overseas entails a number of transitions and challenges, and the present study investigated the strategies international university students use to cope with stressors. Previous research suggests that international students may be more likely than domestic students to draw on religion/spirituality as a source of dealing with stress, but the direct links between stress, religious coping and quality of life are yet to be documented explicitly. A sample of 679 university students in New Zealand completed the quality of life scale WHOQOL-BREF with an additional WHOQOL module used to assess spiritual, religious, and personal beliefs (SRPB). The students also completed the Perceived Stress Scale and the Brief COPE inventory. Irrespective of stress levels encountered or whether participants were international or domestic students, Asian students were more likely to use religious coping strategies than European students. Unlike European students, Asian students’ use of religious coping was effective in improving psychological and social quality of life. The findings also provide support for the main effects hypothesis of religion/spirituality. The present study demonstrates that cultural factors play an important role in the manner in which individuals maintain mental health and quality of life.     

Perceived impact of socially anxious behaviors on individuals' lives in Western and East Asian countries

The current study compared the predicted social and career impact of socially withdrawn and reticent behaviors among participants from Western and East Asian countries. Three hundred sixty-one college students from 5 Western countries and 455 students from 3 East Asian countries read hypothetical vignettes describing socially withdrawn and shy behaviors versus socially outgoing and confident behaviors. Participants then answered questions following each vignette indicating the extent to which they would expect the subject of the vignette to be socially liked and to succeed in their career. Participants also completed measures of their own social anxiety and quality of life. The results indicated significant vignette-by-country interactions in that the difference in perceived social and career impact between shy and outgoing vignettes was smaller among participants from East Asian countries than from Western countries. In addition, significant negative correlations were shown between personal level of shyness and experienced quality of life for participants from both groups of countries, but the size of this relationship was greater for participants from Western than East Asian countries. The results point to the more negative impact of withdrawn and socially reticent behaviors for people from Western countries relative to those from East Asia.     

Social anxiety among East Asians in North America: East Asian socialization or the challenge of acculturation?

North American research has consistently reported higher social anxiety among people of Asian heritage compared to people of Western heritage. The present study used a cross-national sample of 692 university students to explore explanatory hypotheses using planned contrasts of group differences in social anxiety and related variables. The East Asian socialization hypothesis proposed social anxiety would show a linear relation corresponding to the degree of exposure to East Asian cultural norms. This hypothesis was not supported. The cultural discrepancy hypothesis examined whether bicultural East Asian participants (residing in Canada) would endorse higher social anxiety in comparison to unicultural participants (Western-heritage Canadians and native Koreans and Chinese). Compared to unicultural participants, bicultural East Asian participants reported higher social anxiety and depression, a relation that was partially mediated by bicultural participants' reports of lower self-efficacy about initiating social relationships and lower perceived social status. Overall, the results suggest higher reports of social anxiety among bicultural East Asians may be conceptualized within the context of cultural discrepancy with the mainstream culture.     

Physical health and social network characteristics as determinants of mental health across cultures

This study examines cross-cultural differences in the etiology of depression and anxiety, two common indicators of mental health problems. Using an ethnically diverse sample of 162 college students, we found that chronic physical symptoms and social network characteristics, particularly network quality, were predictive of both depression and anxiety, yet their effects were mediated by ethnicity. Multiple regression analyses showed that social network quality, compared to physical health, was a much stronger predictor of mental health in Caucasian students, whereas among students of Asian/Pacific descent, physical health was a much stronger predictor of mental health than the social network characteristics. The observed differences were particularly strong for anxiety, which was not significantly associated with physical health in Caucasian students or social network size and quality in the Asian/Pacific group. Theoretical and clinical implications of the results are discussed.     

Physical health and social network characteristics as determinants of mental health across cultures

This study examines cross-cultural differences in the etiology of depression and anxiety, two common indicators of mental health problems. Using an ethnically diverse sample of 162 college students, we found that chronic physical symptoms and social network characteristics, particularly network quality, were predictive of both depression and anxiety, yet their effects were mediated by ethnicity. Multiple regression analyses showed that social network quality, compared to physical health, was a much stronger predictor of mental health in Caucasian students, whereas among students of Asian/Pacific descent, physical health was a much stronger predictor of mental health than the social network characteristics. The observed differences were particularly strong for anxiety, which was not significantly associated with physical health in Caucasian students or social network size and quality in the Asian/Pacific group. Theoretical and clinical implications of the results are discussed.     

Assessing volunteer motives: a comparison of an open‐ended probe and Likert rating scales

The purpose of the present study was to compare the motives of volunteers (career, esteem, protective, social, understanding, and value) as assessed by an open‐ended probe and the Volunteer Functions Inventory (VFI) which employs a Likert rating scale. One‐hundred‐and‐twenty‐nine individuals, who volunteered for an organization that focuses on episodic volunteering in the community, completed both measures of volunteer motives and reported their frequency of volunteering for the organization. The Spearman rank correlation between the rankings of the six volunteer motives in the two distributions was 0.71. The maximum variance shared between the same motive as assessed by the two methods was 0.14. Frequency of volunteering for the organization was predicted by the value (positive predictor) and social (negative predictor) VFI scale scores. A post hoc analysis of the data from the open‐ended probe revealed three additional motives for volunteering—enjoyment, religiosity, and team building. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Audience Activity and Soap Opera Involvement A Uses and Effects Investigation

This investigation examined the role of motives, attitudes, and audience activity in explaining the affective, cognitive, and behavioral involvement of 328 daytime soap opera viewers. Because inter correlations were found among motives, attitudes, activities, and involvement variables, canonical correlation analysis was used. There were two multivariate patterns. First, except for viewing to pass time, more salient viewing motivations (especially exciting entertainment and social utility), perceived realism, viewing intention, and attention were related to parasocial interaction, post viewing cognition, and post viewing discussion. Second, viewing for social utility, but not for voyeurism, and the lack of realism were related to post viewing discussion, but not to parasocial interaction. These audience orientations and the role of involvement in media uses and effects were discussed.     

Double narrative of a researcher and the researched: the journey of English-language learning

As I embarked on my PhD study in Australia, I felt excited because my study was born out of reflection on my own journey of English-language learning. I decided to use my experiences as a touchstone for an understanding of the experiences of others like me. The study presented here is part of a larger study and is a double narrative that explores the researcher’s and the four participants’ experiences of learning English language in their home country contexts and also in Australia while they are studying in an Australian tertiary context. Through a reflective practice, I have reflectively studied my and the participants’ experiences with language learning strategies (LLS) to improve English-language skills and to better socialise into Australian academic and social discourses as international students. By linking the researcher and the researched closely, this research makes a contribution to English learning and teaching on the development of English-language skills of international students through the use of LLS. It provides some implications to institutions and advice to students like me.     

Impact of Social Support and Coping on Acculturation and Acculturative Stress of East Asian International Students

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of social support and coping on acculturation and acculturative stress of international students. The authors used hierarchical multiple regression analysis to study a sample of 232 East Asian international students. The results indicate that social support and coping were partial mediators on the relationship between acculturation and acculturative stress. Implications, limitations, and recommendations for future research are provided. El propósito de este estudio fue investigar los efectos del apoyo social y el afrontamiento en la aculturación y el estrés aculturativo de los estudiantes internacionales. Se estudió una muestra de 232 estudiantes internacionales de Asia Oriental usando un anaálisis de regresión múltiple jerárquica. Los resultados indican que el apoyo social y el afrontamiento fueron mediadores parciales en la relación entre aculturación y estrés aculturativo. Se proporcionan implicaciones, limitaciones y recomendaciones para investigaciones futuras.     

Young Group Identification and Motives as Predictors of Ageism,Aging Anxiety,and Life Satisfaction

Abstract

The present study examined young group identification and young group motives (i.e., self-esteem, distinctiveness, belonging, meaning, efficacy, and continuity) as predictors of ambivalent ageism, stereotyping of older people, aging anxiety, and life satisfaction among Turkish university students. Participants (N?=?226) completed scales measuring age group identification, social identity motives, ambivalent ageism, stereotyping of older people, aging anxiety, and life satisfaction. Multiple hierarchical regression analyses showed that belonging to a young group was a significant predictor for ambivalent ageism. Young group identification and meaning were significant predictors for negative stereotyping of older people. Young group self-esteem was a significant predictor for aging anxiety. Young group identification, self-esteem, and meaning were significant predictors for life satisfaction. None of the independent variables was a significant predictor for positive stereotyping of older people.