The effects of stress management on college students’ performance in internationalization programs

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ABSTRACT A major current issue that is facing the U.S. workforce is the need for employees who possess intercultural competence and cross-cultural adjustment skills. This has lead to the development of study abroad programs and international internships to develop knowledgeable, skillful, interculturally competent, and professional college students who will become interculturally competent employees. However, these students often go through significant stressful changes during their time in these programs. Therefore, the purpose of this dissertation and this study was to determine how college students manage stress in internationalization programs. This research followed a qualitative method of inquiry, a phenomenological analysis, and a descriptive method for its design, wherein the researcher examined how college students responded to stressful situations during program participation. It was found that students responded to stressful events before their trip, when they first arrived to their destination, when they lived in discomfort, when they had new experiences, when they noticed differences and experienced competition, and when they returned home. Further research is needed on the impact of stress management on overseas effectiveness for expatriates as well as college students in internationalization programs. Health records and attrition information could be gathered on the sojourners receiving stress management intervention before and after going overseas to determine its effectiveness.

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