Fluctuations in mental well-being during Study Abroad
This mixed-methods study focuses on the effect of Study Abroad (SA) on the mental well-being of 33 Anglophone students who spent between four and twelve months in Francophone countries. It investigates the relationship between well-being and personality traits. Statistical analyses revealed no significant change in well-being between the start, the middle and the end of the SA. A closer look at individual patterns showed large fluctuations, with half of participants scoring higher and the other half scoring lower between the start and the middle of the SA. The narratives of three participants whose well-being scores increased most were not very different from the three participants whose well-being scores decreased most, and only (lower) Emotional Stability was linked with the increase in well-being. At the group level, well-being was not significantly linked to personality traits. The apparent stability of well-being during SA seems to be the result of upward and downward patterns cancelling each other out.
Article outline
- 1.Introduction
- 2.Literature review
- 2.1The psychological framework
- 2.2SLA research on SA including psychological variables
- 3.Research questions
- 4.Methodology
- 4.1Participants
- 4.2Questionnaires
- 4.3Design
- 4.4Data analysis
- 5.Results
- 5.1The effect of SA on participants’ well-being
- 5.2Experiential and personality characteristics of participants with the strongest increase or decrease in well-being between Time 1 and Time 2
- 5.2.1Strongest increase in well-being between Time 1 and Time 2
- 5.2.2Strongest decrease in well-being between Time 1 and Time 2
- 5.3The relationship between well-being and personality traits
- 6.Discussion
- 7.Conclusion
- Notes
-
References
References (31)
Anglim, J., Horwood, S., Smillie, L. D., Marrero, R. J., & Wood, J. K.
(
2020)
Predicting psychological and subjective well-being from personality: A meta-analysis.
Psychological Bulletin, 146(4), 279–323.
![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Arvidsson, K., Eyckmans, J., Rosiers, A., & Forsberg Lundell, F.
Bleidorn, W., Kandler, C., Riemann, R., Angleitner, A., & Spinath, F. M.
(
2009)
Patterns and sources of adult personality development: Growth curve analyses of the NEO PI-R scales in a longitudinal twin study.
Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 97(1), 142–155.
![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Brysbaert, M.
(
2013)
LexTALE_FR: A fast, free, and efficient test to measure language proficiency in French.
Psychologica Belgica, 531, 23–37.
![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Chen, S. X., Benet-Martínez, V., & Harris Bond, M.
(
2008)
Bicultural identity, bilingualism, and psychological adjustment in multicultural societies: Immigration-based and globalization-based acculturation.
Journal of Personality, 76(4), 803–38.
![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Creswell, J. W., & Plano Clark, V. L.
(
2011)
Designing and conducting mixed methods research (2nd ed.). Los Angeles, CA: Sage.
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Dewaele, J.-M.
(
2012)
Personality. Personality traits as independent and dependent variables. In
S. Mercer,
S. Ryan, &
M. Williams (Eds.),
Psychology for language learning: Insights from research, theory and practice (pp. 42–58). Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Dewaele, J.-M., & Botes, E.
(
2020)
Does multilingualism shape personality? An exploratory investigation.
International Journal of Bilingualism, 24(4), 811–823.
![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Dewaele, L., & Dewaele, J.-M.
(
2021)
Actual and self-perceived linguistic proficiency gains in French during the Year Abroad.
Languages, 6(6), 1–17.
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Dewey, D. P., Belnap, R. K., & Steffen, P.
(
2018)
Anxiety: Stress, foreign language classroom anxiety, and enjoyment during study abroad in Amman, Jordan.
Annual Review of Applied Linguistics, 381, 140–161.
![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Furnham, A., & Heaven, P.
(
1999)
Personality and social behavior. London: Arnold.
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Gu, Q., & Maley, A.
(
2008)
Changing places: A study of Chinese students in the UK.
Language and Intercultural Communication, 8(4), 224–245.
![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Hills, P., & Argyle, M.
(
2001)
Emotional stability as a major dimension of happiness.
Personality and Individual Differences, 31(8), 1357–1364.
![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Howard, M.
(
2021)
Study abroad and the second language learner. An introduction. In
M. Howard (Ed.),
Study abroad and the second language learner: Expectations, experiences and development (pp. 1–14). London: Bloomsbury.
![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Huppert, F., & Ruggeri, K.
(
2017)
Controversies in well-being: Confronting and resolving the challenges. In
D. Bhugra,
K. Bhui,
S. Wong, &
S. Gilman (Eds.),
Oxford textbook of public mental health (pp. 131–140). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Kinginger, C.
(
2004)
Alice doesn’t live here anymore: Foreign language learning and renegotiated identity. In
A. Pavlenko &
A. Blackledge (Eds.),
Negotiation of identities in multilingual contexts (pp. 219–242). Clevedon, UK: Multilingual Matters.
![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Kinginger, C.
(
2008)
Language learning in study abroad: Case studies of Americans in France.
The Modern Language Journal, 921, 1–124.
![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Kinginger, C.
(
2011)
Enhancing language learning in Study Abroad.
Annual Review of Applied Linguistics, 311, 58–73.
![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Kuh, G. K., & Kaufman, N. F.
(
1984)
The impact of study abroad on personal development of college students. Bloomington, IN: Indiana University School of Education.
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Masgoret, A.-M., & Ward, C.
(
2006)
Culture learning approach to acculturation. In
D. L. Sam &
J. W. Berry (Eds.),
The Cambridge handbook of acculturation psychology (pp. 58–77). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Mitchell, R., Tracy-Ventura, N., & McManus, K.
(
2017)
Anglophone students abroad: Identity, social relationships, and language learning. London: Routledge.
![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
O’Reilly, A., Ryan, D., & Hickey, T.
(
2010)
The psychological well-being and sociocultural adaptation of short-term international students in Ireland.
Journal of College Student Development, 51(5), 584–598.
![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Pervin, L. A., & Cervone, D.
(
2010)
Personality: Theory and research (11th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Schartner, A.
(
2016)
The effect of study abroad on intercultural competence: A longitudinal case study of international postgraduate students at a British university.
Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, 37(4), 402–418.
![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Tennant, R., Hiller, L., Fishwick, R., Platt, S., Joseph, S., Weich, S., Parkinson, J., Secker, J., & Stewart-Brown, S.
(
2007)
The Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (WEMWBS): Development and UK validation.
Health and Quality of Life Outcomes, 5(63).
![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Tracy-Ventura, N., Dewaele, J.-M., Köylü, Z., & McManus, K.
van der Zee, K. I., & van Oudenhoven, J. P.
(
2000)
The Multicultural Personality Questionnaire: A multicultural instrument for multicultural effectiveness.
European Journal of Personality, 141, 291–309.
![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
van der Zee, K.I., van Oudenhoven, J. P., Ponterotto, J. G., & Fietzer, A. W.
(
2013)
Multicultural Personality Questionnaire: Development of a short form.
Journal of Personality Assessment, 951, 118–124.
![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
van Oudenhoven, J. P., & van der Zee, K. I.
(
2002)
Predicting multicultural effectiveness of international students: The Multicultural Personality Questionnaire.
International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 261, 679–694.
![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Zhou, Y., Jindal-Snape, D., Topping, K., & Todman, J.
(
2008)
Theoretical models of culture shock and adaptation in international students in higher education.
Studies in Higher Education, 331, 63–75.
![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Zimmermann, J. & Neyer, F.
(
2013)
Do we become a different person when hitting the road? Personality development of sojourners.
Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 105(3), 515–530.
![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Cited by (3)
Cited by 3 other publications
Humphries, Simon, Scott Aubrey & Jim King
2023.
Fluctuations in Japanese English majors’ capacity to speak before, during and after studying abroad.
System 113
► pp. 103001 ff.
![DOI logo](//benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
Lee, Jeong-Ah & In Chull Jang
2023.
From linguistic insecurity to confidence: Language emotion and ideology in South Korean study-abroad students’ post-journey reflections.
Linguistics and Education 77
► pp. 101206 ff.
![DOI logo](//benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
Vidal, Carmen Pérez
2023.
Study Abroad as a Pedagogical Framework. In
The Encyclopedia of Applied Linguistics,
► pp. 1 ff.
![DOI logo](//benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
This list is based on CrossRef data as of 5 july 2024. Please note that it may not be complete. Sources presented here have been supplied by the respective publishers.
Any errors therein should be reported to them.