ABSTRACT
This chapter attempts to fill the gap in acculturation research related to sociocultural adaptation, acculturative stress, and student satisfaction among international students at a nonmetropolitan university environment in the United States. It utilizes two instruments: an Acculturative Stress Scale for International Students (ASSIS) and the revised version of the Sociocultural Adaptation Scale. The Acculturative Stress Scale for International Students (ASSIS) developed by Sandhu and Asrabadi was designed to measure the difficulties encountered by international students with personal, social, and environmental changes upon arrival to a new country, often known as the cultural shock or acculturative stress experience. Using correlations, analysis of variance, and concept mapping, patterns and themes of international students' sociocultural adaptation and acculturative stress levels were analyzed and compared with demographic factors and overall college satisfaction levels. The chapter can function as a model for retention efforts and college satisfaction of both international and domestic students at various campuses and environments.
