Title: The impact of social support on culture shock: the contingent role of gender

Authors: Feba Thomas; G.N. Sumathi

Addresses: Xavier Institute of Management & Entrepreneurship, Kochi, India ' VIT Business School, Vellore Institute of Technology, Chennai, India

Abstract: The main purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between social support and culture shock, and to examine the moderating effect of gender between social support and culture shock that the international students face. Data has been collected using a questionnaire in the form of an online survey. The questionnaire was sent to Indian students studying abroad and to foreign students studying in India. The sample size consists of 148 (male = 75, female = 73) international students. Culture shock was measured using acculturative scale for international students (ASSIS) and social support is been measured using perceived social support scale. The findings from this study indicate that social support received from their families and friends will reduce the culture shock that the international students face and there is a significant association when gender is been moderated between social support and culture shock.

Keywords: social support; gender; culture shock; Indian students; international students.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBEX.2022.121582

International Journal of Business Excellence, 2022 Vol.26 No.2, pp.224 - 237

Received: 26 Jul 2019
Accepted: 01 Nov 2019
Published online: 21 Mar 2022 *

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