The Interplay between Social Media and Cultural Adjustment: Analysis of the Subjective Well-Being, Social Support, and Social Media Use of Asian International Students in the U.S.

Abstract

This research focuses on social media use by Asian international students in the U.S. and its impacts on their subjective well-being, social support, and cultural adjustment. In-depth interviews were conducted with 17 international students from six Asian countries who are studying in a Midwestern University in the U.S. The research finds that social media helps to compensate Asian international students for the loss of social support and offline social capital from their home countries. However, the function of social media, which provides bridging social capital and expands their social networks in the host country, is limited. This research extends the existing literature on social media’s moderating effect on sociocultural and psychological adjustment.