Individualism-collectivism, coping styles, and stress in international and Anglo-Australian students: A comparative study

The present study was designed to test the hypothesis that culture mediates coping styles and that acculturative stress will be attenuated by the use of culturally relevant coping strategies. A cross-sectional sample of Asian and Anglo-Australian students in Australia was used in the study. Newly arrived Asian students resident in Australia less than 6 months (Asian 1), Asian students resident in Australia for more than 6 months but less than 3 years (Asian 2), Asian students resident in Australia more than 3 years (Asian 3), Asian-Australians, and Anglo-Australians (N = 112) completed the Perceived Stress Scale (Cohen, Kamark, & Mermelstein, 1983) and the COPE scale (Carver, Scheier, & Weintraub, 1989). Results indicate that Asian students within their first 6 months of residency in Australia are highest in levels of perceived stress and also tend to employ collectivist coping strategies more than any other group. Anglo-Australians are lowest on measures of perceived stress and tend towards the use of individualist coping styles. The longer the Asian student remains in Australian culture, the less they tend towards the use of collectivist coping styles. The dimension of individualism and collectivism offers a theoretical basis for the discussion of crosscultural differences in coping styles.