Examining The Adjustment Problems Of Kenyan International Students Attending Colleges And Universities In The United States

Abstract

The literature on international students from Africa, and particularly Kenya, is very limited despite the significant number of Kenyan international students attending colleges and universities in the United States. Therefore, the intent of this study was to examine the adjustment problems of Kenyan international students in the United States. The study employed acculturation theory as its theoretical framework because acculturation entails the adaptation process of individuals to a new environment. The current study utilized a quantitative approach to examine their adjustment issues. The Michigan International Students Problem Inventory (MISPI), the research instrument for this study, was used to examine the extent to which the independent variables (a) gender, (b) age, (c) marital status, (d) type of high school attended in Kenya, (e) home located in an urban or rural community, (f) enrollment status at university (graduate or undergraduate), and (g) form of tuition payment (self pay, institution, U.S. government, government of Kenya, or employer) influence Kenyan international students' adjustment to higher education in the United States. Initially, the study employed purposive sampling to identify potential participants who are Kenyan international students attending various colleges and universities in the United States. From this initial group of participants, the sample was expanded using the non-probability sampling method of snowballing. Snowballing relies on the identification of new participants from individuals who were identified through purposive sampling and agreed to participate in the study. This process resulted in the identification of 300 potential participants. Electronic contact of these individuals yielded 158 participants for a response rate of 53%. The major adjustment problem areas for Kenyan international students were financial aid, and living and dining, while they were least bothered by religion and personal issues. Therefore, it is important that these problems be resolved in a timely manner to enable the students adjust quickly to their new environment.