The aim of this study was to assess the role of social support systems for Saudi Arabian students in the United States. A survey was conducted with Saudi sojourners using the Index of Sojourner Social Support (ISSS) instrument and the Ethno-Cultural Identity Conflict Scale (ECIS) (N = 210) and semi-structured interviews (N = 15). Saudi students…

This study explored how a study abroad experience affected preservice teachers' (PSTs') dispositions towards and plans for teaching English Language Learners (ELLs). This qualitative study involved 16 elementary education initial licensure PSTs who participated in a 2-month study abroad trip to Germany. Data in the form of surveys, interviews, and…

The number of students studying in a country other than their own has dramatically increased in recent years. In 2010, over 3.7 million students studied abroad; in 2014, the number had grown to over 4.5 million students. Asian countries are the predominant places of origin. When students live and study in a new country, in addition to studying,…

Background: Each homicide leaves behind several friends and family members, or homicide survivors. However, limited information is available on the impact of homicide on adolescent survivors. The purpose of the current study was to identify the prevalence of homicide survivorship and to determine mental health outcomes within a sample of US…

Socialization as a theoretical concept has been increasingly applied to higher education over the past several decades. However, little research examines international visiting scholars' overseas academic socialization experiences. Rooted in socialization theory, this one-year qualitative study explores 15 Chinese visiting scholars' lived…

This article introduces the Special Class for the Gifted Young (SCGY), an early college entrance program in mathematics and science in China, which has been a focus for media coverage and public discussion of accelerated education in China. We first describe the admission policy and academic programming of SCGY and delineate its distinct features.…

Within organizations, the communicative phenomenon of humor is commonplace. Humorous talk is just as important and frequent to regular discourse that takes place between organizational members. In this inquiry we examine humor as a particular way of communicating between members of a small Midwestern United States organization. Specifically, we…

The purpose of this study was to explore the first-year academic experiences and achievement of Chinese international undergraduate students in American higher education. To do so, I tracked a cohort of Chinese international undergraduates through their first-year at a public research university in the United States. Both qualitative and…

The purpose of this study was to explore college women's high-risk alcohol use and related consequences. This study employed a qualitative approach to understand and provide visibility for a gender-related perspective on college women's alcohol experiences and related outcomes. Data were collected from interviews with 10 undergraduate females at a…

This study interviewed 29 women from various countries and spiritual backgrounds, between the ages of 16 and 67, seeking to better understand how dance/creative movement supports women during difficult life struggles such as trauma from abuse, relationship breakups, community violence and loss of self, and how it acts as a connection to the…

Drawing on G. H. Mead and Merleau-Ponty, this paper aims to extend our understanding of self-reflexivity beyond the notion of a discursive, abstract, and symbolic process. It offers a framework for embodied self-reflexivity, which anchors the self in the reflexive capacity of bodily sensations. The data consist of two years of ethnographic…

The "Lost Boys of Sudan" were separated from their families by civil war and subsequently lived in 3 other countries--Ethiopia, Kenya, and the United States. In-depth interviews were conducted with 10 refugees who located surviving family members in Sudan after an average separation of 13.7 years. The interviews probed their experiences…

Research suggests that Cambodian students often endure conflicting ethnic stereotypes from larger society and their school and communities. We examine the ways in which Cambodian youth negotiated their ethnic identities in response to these stereotypes and argue that Cambodian students adopted, rejected, and affirmed certain ethnic identities in…

Students with learning disabilities (LD) are the largest sub-group of all students with disabilities attending college in the United States. However, due to the multiple difficulties involved in transitioning from school to college, many do not succeed during their first year. This article chronicles ways in which three students with LD negotiate…

Individuals respond to threats to affiliation and achievement needs through drawing on a repertoire of coping strategies specific to a given situation. Gifted adolescents in college-preparatory high school programs may be faced with novel stressors, and may have unique coping strategies to manage these challenges. The current study considers…