Navigating intimate partner relationships
A study of first-time international students in marital relationships in the United States
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.32674/xc0jqc37Keywords:
married international graduate students, Cross-cultural adjustment, Qualitative Research, International Students, higher education, Cultural AdaptionAbstract
Background: This qualitative study explored how first-time international graduate students in marital relationships navigate relational, academic, and cultural transitions while pursuing higher education in the United States. Grounded in ecological and cross-cultural adaptation frameworks, the study examined how students balance multiple roles and construct meaning within new social and institutional contexts.
Methods: 25 students from a large public university in the southeastern U.S. completed demographic surveys and 60-minute semi-structured interviews focused on adjustment, coping, and support. Data were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis.
Results: Six themes emerged: (1) adjustment to a new environment, (2) cultural differences and social belonging, (3) marital relationships in transition, (4) stress, coping, and well-being, (5) community and institutional support, and (6) quality of life and satisfaction.
Conclusions: Marital relationships functioned as both resilience factors and stress points. Findings highlight the importance of support, culturally familiar networks, and family-inclusive institutional practices to promote international students’ well-being.
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