Abstract
There has been a significant paradigm shift in recent acculturation research from a psychopathological perspective to a resilience framework. However, one indicator of positive adaptation outcomes in acculturation-measurement of personal growth in migration-is lacking. The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a Post-migration Growth Scale (PMGS) for Chinese international students. A 14-item scale was developed through in-depth interviews, item analysis and factor analysis. The scale was initially validated in a sample of 400 mainland Chinese students studying in Hong Kong. Exploratory factor analysis suggested two factors (interpersonal growth and intrapersonal growth), which were cross-validated in an independent sample of Chinese international students in Australia from mainland China (n = 154) by confirmatory factor analysis. The PMGS showed satisfactory internal consistency reliability and concurrent validity. The PMGS can thus be a reliable and valid instrument to measure Chinese international students' personal growth from overseas study experiences. Limitations were discussed and implications were suggested.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1639-1655 |
| Number of pages | 17 |
| Journal | Journal of Happiness Studies |
| Volume | 14 |
| Issue number | 6 |
| Early online date | 22 Nov 2012 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Dec 2013 |
User-Defined Keywords
- Chinese
- International students
- Post-migration growth
- Resilience
- Scale development
- Scale validation