Academic Stressors as Predictors of Achievement Goal Orientations of American and ESL International Students
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.32674/jis.v9i4.752Keywords:
academic stress, Achievement Goal Orientation, American students, college students, ESL international students, higher educationAbstract
This study explores academic stressors and achievement goal orientations of college students, and the relationship between these variables using academic stressors as predictors. As the number of English as a Second Language (ESL) international students has increased rapidly in the US, students’ status (American or ESL international) was also examined. A total of 715 students participated in the study from two universities in the US. Results show that ESL international and American students have different achievement goal orientations and academic stressors. Additionally, student status and academic stressors predict college students’ various goal orientations. The implications provide useful suggestions to higher education professionals in order to better understand and assist diverse students to succeed in academia.
References
Abouserie, R. (1994). Sources and levels of stress in relation to locus of control and self-esteem in university students. Educational Psychology, 14(3), 323–330. doi:10.1080/014434194014306
Ames, C. (1992). Classrooms: Goals, structures, and student motivation. Journal of Educational Psychology, 84(3), 261–271. doi:10.1037/0022-0663.80.3.260
Ames, C., & Archer, J. (1988). Achievement goals in the classroom: Students’ learning strategies and motivation processes. Journal of Educational Psychology, 80(3), 260–267. doi:10.1037/0022-0663.80.3.260
Archer, J., Jr, & Lamnin, A. (1985). An investigation of personal and academic stressors on college campuses. Journal of College Student Personnel, 26, 210–215.
Aspinwall, L. G., & Taylor, S. E. (1997). A stitch in time: Self-regulation and proactive coping. Psychological Bulletin, 121(3), 417–436. doi:10.1037/0033-2909.121.3.417
Baba, Y., & Hosoda, M. (2014). Home away home: Better understanding of the role of social support in predicting cross-cultural adjustment among international students. College Student Journal, 48(1), 1–15.
Baldwin, R. G. (2009). The climate for undergraduate teaching and learning in STEM fields. New Directions for Teaching and Learning, 117, 9–17.
Bedewy, D., & Gabriel, A. (2015). Examining perceptions of academic stress and its sources among university students: The perception of academic stress scale. Health Psychology Open, 2(2), 1–9. doi:10.1177/2055102915596714
Beiter, R., Nash, R., McCrady, M., Rhoades, D., Linscomb, M., Clarahan, M., & Sammut, S. (2015). The prevalence and correlates of depression, anxiety, and stress in a sample of college students. Journal of Affective Disorders, 173, 90–96. doi:10.1016/j.jad.2014.10.054
Blanco, C., Okuda, M., Wright, C., Hasin, D., Grant, B., Liu, S., & Olfson, M. (2008). Mental health of college students and their non–college-attending peers: Results from the national epidemiologic study on alcohol and related conditions. Archives of General Psychiatry, 65(12), 1429–1437. doi:10.1001/archpsyc.65.12.1429
Boyd, V. S., Hunt, P. F., Kandell, J. J., & Lucas, M. S. (2003). Relationship between identity processing style and academic success in undergraduate students. Journal of College Student Development, 44(2), 155–167. doi:10.1353/csd.2003.0012
Brauss, M. R., Lin, X., & Baker, B. A. (2015). International students in higher education: Educational and social experiences. Institute for Learning Styles Journal, 1, 54–71.
Britton, B. K., & Tesser, A. (1991). Effects of time-management practices on college grades. Journal of Educational Psychology, 83(3), 405-–410. doi:10.1037/0022-0663.3.405
Campbell, R. L., Svenson, L. W., & Jarvis, G. K. (1992). Perceived level of stress among university undergraduate students in Edmonton, Canada. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 75(2), 552-–554. doi:10.2466/pms.1992.75.2.552
Carveth, J. A., Gesse, T., & Moss, N. (1996). Survival strategies for nurse-midwifery students. Journal of Nurse-Midwifery, 41(1), 50–54. doi:10.1016/0091-2182(95)00072-0
Church, M. A., Elliot, A. J., & Gable, S. L. (2001). Perceptions of classroom environment, achievement goals, and achievement outcomes. Journal of Educational Psychology, 93(1), 43–54. doi:10.1037/0022-0663.93.1.43
Clark, N. (2009, September 1). What defines an international student? A look behind the numbers. Retrieved from https://wenr.wes.org/2009/09/wenr-september-2009-feature
Crocker, J., & Luhtanen, R. K. (2003). Level of self-esteem and contingencies of self-worth: Unique effects on academic, social, and financial problems in college students. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 29(6), 701–712. doi:10.1177/0146167203252881
Duda, J. L., & Nicholls, J. G. (1992). Dimensions of achievement motivation in schoolwork and sport. Journal of Educational Psychology, 84(3), 290–299. doi:10.1037/0022-0663.84.3.290
Elliot, A. J. (2006). The hierarchical model of approach-avoidance motivation. Motivation and Emotion, 30(2), 111–116. doi:10.1007/s11031-006-9028-7
Elliot, A. J., & McGregor, J. A. (2001). A 2x2 achievement goal framework. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 80(3), 501–519. doi:10.1037//0022-3514.80.3.501
Elliot, A. J., & Murayama, K. (2008). On the measurement of achievement goals: Critique, illustration, and application. Journal of Educational Psychology, 100(3), 613–628.
Gallagher, R. P. (2012). Thirty years of the national survey of counseling center directors: A personal account. Journal of College Student Psychotherapy, 26(3), 172–184. doi:10.1080/87568225.2012.685852
Harackiewicz, J. M., Barron, K. E., Tauer, J. M., & Elliot, A. J. (2002). Predicting success in college: A longitudinal study of achievement goals and ability measures as predictors of interest and performance from freshman year through graduation. Journal of Educational Psychology, 94(3), 562–575. doi:10.1037/0022-0663.94.3.562
Hayes, R.L., & Lin, H.R. (1994). Coming to America: Developing social support systems for international students. Journal of Multicultural Counseling and Development, 22(1), 7–16. doi:10.1002/j.2161-1912.1994.tb00238.x
Holmes, T. H., & Rahe, R. H. (1967). The social readjustment rating scale. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 11(2), 213–218. doi:10.1016/0022-3999(67)90010-4
Institute of International Education. (2017). Open doors report on international educational exchange. Retrieved from http://www.iie.org/opendoors
Karaman, M. A., Nelson, K. M., & Cavazos Vela, J. (2017). The mediation effects of achievement motivation and locus of control between academic stress and life satisfaction in undergraduate students. British Journal of Guidance & Counselling, 46(4), 375–384. doi:10.1080/03069885.2017.1346233
Kleen, J. K., Sitomer, M. T., Killeen, P. R., & Conrad, C. D. (2006). Chronic stress impairs spatial memory and motivation for reward without disrupting motor ability and motivation to explore. Behavioral Neuroscience, 120(4), 842–851. doi:10.1037/0735-7044.120.4.842
Kohn, J. P., & Frazer, G. H. (1986). An academic stress scale: Identification and rated importance of academic stressors. Psychological Reports, 59(2), 415–426. doi:10.2466/pr0.1986.59.2.415
Kumaraswamy, N. (2013). Academic stress, anxiety and depression among college students: A brief review. International Review of Social Sciences and Humanities, 5(1), 135–143.
Lee, J. J., & Rice, C. (2007). Welcome to America?: International student perceptions of discrimination. Higher Education, 53(3), 381–409. doi:10.1007/S10734-005-4508-3
Leong, P. (2015). Coming to America: Assessing the patterns of acculturation, friendship formation, and the academic experiences of international students at a U.S. college. Journal of International Students, 5(4), 459–474.
Lewthwaite, M. (1997). A study of international students' perspectives on cross-cultural adaptation. International Journal for the Advancement of Counseling, 19, 167–185.
Lin, X., & Wang, C. H. (2015). Factors that affect returning to graduate school for international and American adult learners. Institute for Learning Styles Journal, 1, 40–53.
Liu, Y., & Lu, Z. (2011). The Chinese high school student’s stress in the school and academic achievement. Educational Psychology, 31(1), 27–35. doi:10.1080/01443410/2010/513959
Lou, N. M., & Noels, K. A. (2016). Changing language mindsets: Implications for goal orientations and responses to failure in and outside the second language classroom. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 46, 22–33. doi:10.1016/j.cedpsych.2016.03.004
Mackenzie, S., Wiegel, J. R., Mundt, M., Brown, D., Saewyc, E., Heiligenstein, E., … Fleming, M. (2011). Depression and suicide ideation among students accessing campus health care. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 81(1), 101–107. doi:10.1111/j.1939-0025.2010.01077.x
Mega, C., Ronconi, L., & De Beni, R. (2014). What makes a good student? How emotions, self-regulated learning, and motivation contribute to academic achievement. Journal of Educational Psychology, 106(1), 121–131. doi:10.1037/a0033546
Mertler, C. A., & Vannatta, R. A. (2002). Advanced and multivariate statistical methods: Practical application and interpretation. Los Angeles: Pyrczak.
Mesidor, J. K., & Sly, K. F. (2016). Factors that contribute to the adjustment of international students. Journal of International Students, 6(1), 262–282.
Midgley, C., Arunkumar, R., & Urdan, T. C. (1996). If I don’t do well tomorrow, there’s a reason: Predictors of adolescents’ use of academic self-handicapping strategies. Journal of Educational Psychology, 88(3), 423–434. doi:10.1037/0022-0663.88.3.423
Misra, R., & McKean, M. (2000). College students’ academic stress and its relation to their anxiety, time management, and leisure satisfaction. American Journal of Health Studies, 16(1), 41–51.
Mori, S. (2000). Addressing the mental health concerns of international students. Journal of Counseling & Development, 78(2), 137–144. doi:10.1002/j.1556-6676.2000.tb02571.x
Murphy, K. P., & Alexander, P. (2000). A motivated exploration of motivation terminology. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 25(1), 3–53. doi:10.1006/ceps.1999.1019
Murphy, M. C., & Archer, J., Jr. (1996). Stressors on the college campus: A comparison of 1985 and 1993. Journal of College Student Development, 37(1), 20–28.
Nicholls, J. G., Patashnick, M., & Nolen, S. B. (1985). Adolescents’ theories of education. Journal of Educational Psychology, 77(6), 683–692. doi:10.1037/0022-0663.77.6.683
Nolen, S. B., & Haladyna, T. M. (1990). Personal and environmental influences on students' beliefs about effective study strategies. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 15(2), 116–130. doi:10.1016/0361-476X(90)90011-O
Nonis, S. A., & Hudson, G. I. (2006). Academic performance of college students: Influence of time spent studying and working. Journal of Education for Business, 81(3), 151–159. doi:10.3200/JOEB.81.3.151-159
Nonis, S. A., Hudson, G. I., Logan, L. B., & Ford, C. W. (1998). Influence of perceived control over time on college students' stress and stress-related outcomes. Research in Higher Education, 39(5), 587–605. doi:10.1023/A:1018753706925
Nurmi, J. E., Salmela‐Aro, K., & Ruotsalainen, H. (1994). Cognitive and attributional strategies among unemployed young adults: A case of the failure‐trap strategy. European Journal of Personality, 8(2), 135–148. doi:10.1002/per.2410080205
Pascarella, F. T., & Terrenzini, P. T. (2005). How college affects students: A third decade of research (1st ed.). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Posselt, J. R., & Lipson, S. K. (2016). Competition, anxiety, and depression in the college classroom: Variations by student identity and field of study. Journal of College Student Development, 57(8), 973–989. doi:10.1353/csd.2016.0094
Ramaprabou, V., & Dash, S. K. (2018). Effect of academic stress on achievement motivation among college students. Journal on Educational Psychology, 11(4), 32–37. doi:10.
Remedios, R., & Richardson, J. T. E. (2013). Achievement goals in adult learners: Evidence from distance education. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 83(4), 664–685. doi:10.1111/bjep.12001
Robotham, D. (2009). Combining study and employment: A step too far? Education and Training, 51(4), 322–332. doi:10.1108/00400910968337
Sandhu, D. S. (1995) An examination of the psychological needs of the international students: Implications for counseling and psychotherapy. International Journal for the Advancement of Counselling, 17, 229–239.
Schuler, R. S. (1979). Managing stress means managing time: The two are so intertwined that controlling one can only help the other. Personal Journal, 58, 851–854.
Shen, Y. J., & Herr, E. L. (2004). Career placement concerns of international graduate students: A qualitative study. Journal of Career Development, 31(1), 15–29.
Shi, K., Wang, P., Wang, W., Zuo, Y., Liu, D., Maehr, M. L., … Hruda, L. (2001). Goals and motivation of Chinese students: Testing the adaptive learning model. In F. Salili, C. Chiu, & Y. Y. Hong (Eds.), Student motivation: The culture and context of learning (pp. 249–270). New York: Plenum.
Sohail, N. (2013). Stress and academic performance among medical students. Journal of the College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan, 23(1), 67–71.
Stevens, D. D., Emil, S., & Yamashita, M. (2010). Mentoring through reflective journal writing: A qualitative study by a mentor/professor and two international graduate students. Reflective Practice, 11(3), 347–367. doi:10.1080/14623943.2010.490069
Struthers, C. W., Perry, R. P., & Menec, V. H. (2000). An examination of the relationship among academic stress, coping, motivation, and performance in college. Research in Higher Education, 41(5), 581–592. doi:10.1023/A:1007094931292
Thurber, C. A., & Walton, E. A. (2012). Homesickness and adjustment in university students. Journal of American College Health, 60(5), 415–419. doi:10.1080/07448481.2012.673520
Vecchione, M., Alessandri, G., & Marsicano, G. (2014). Academic motivation predicts educational attainment: Does gender make a difference? Learning and Individual Differences, 32, 124–131.
Washburn, M. H., & Miller, S. G. (2004). Retaining undergraduate women in science, engineering, and technology: A survey of a student organization. Journal of College Student Retention: Research, Theory & Practice, 6, 155–168.
Woodrow, L., & Chapman, E. (2002). Assessing the motivational goal orientations of international English for academic purposes (EAP) students. Current Research in Social Psychology, 7(15), 257–274.
Wu, H. P., Garza, E., & Guzman, N. (2015). International student’s challenge and adjustment to college. Education Research International, 2015, 202753. doi:10.1155/2015/202753
Yi, J. K., Lin, J. C. G., Jenny, K., & Kishimoto, Y. (2003). Utilization of counseling services by international students. Journal of Instructional Psychology, 30(4), 333–342.
Zua, B. (2016). The impact of language proficiency on the academic achievement of international students. International Journal of Education and Human Developments, 2(6), 33–43.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
All published articles are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 4.0 Unported License.
