An investigation of relationship correlates and predictors of cultural adjustment among missionaries. PDF
Preview An investigation of relationship correlates and predictors of cultural adjustment among missionaries.
UUnniivveerrssiittyy ooff LLoouuiissvviillllee TThhiinnkkIIRR:: TThhee UUnniivveerrssiittyy ooff LLoouuiissvviillllee''ss IInnssttiittuuttiioonnaall RReeppoossiittoorryy Electronic Theses and Dissertations 12-2017 AAnn iinnvveessttiiggaattiioonn ooff rreellaattiioonnsshhiipp ccoorrrreellaatteess aanndd pprreeddiiccttoorrss ooff ccuullttuurraall aaddjjuussttmmeenntt aammoonngg mmiissssiioonnaarriieess.. Sarah Warren University of Louisville Follow this and additional works at: https://ir.library.louisville.edu/etd Part of the Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons RReeccoommmmeennddeedd CCiittaattiioonn Warren, Sarah, "An investigation of relationship correlates and predictors of cultural adjustment among missionaries." (2017). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 2844. https://doi.org/10.18297/etd/2844 This Doctoral Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by ThinkIR: The University of Louisville's Institutional Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of ThinkIR: The University of Louisville's Institutional Repository. This title appears here courtesy of the author, who has retained all other copyrights. For more information, please contact [email protected]. AN INVESTIGATION OF RELATIONSHIP CORRELATES AND PREDICTORS OF CULTURAL ADJUSTMENT AMONG MISSIONARIES By Sarah Warren B. A., Olivet Nazarene University, 2006 M.A., Indiana Wesleyan University, 2008 A Dissertation Submitted to the Faculty of the College of Education and Human Development In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Counseling and Personnel Services Department of Counseling and Human Development University of Louisville Louisville, Kentucky December 2017 AN INVESTIGATION OF RELATIONSHIP CORRELATES AND PREDICTORS OF CULTURAL ADJUSTMENT AMONG MISSIONARIES By Sarah Warren B. A., Olivet Nazarene University, 2006 M.A., Indiana Wesleyan University, 2008 A Dissertation Approved on November 28, 2017 by the following Dissertation Committee: __________________________________________________ Dr. Lisa M. Hooper, Dissertation Chair __________________________________________________ Dr. Detra Johnson, Committee Member __________________________________________________ Dr. Ahmad Washington, Committee Member __________________________________________________ Dr. Hongryun Woo, Committee Member ii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I am immensely grateful for the many individuals who have helped me through this long dissertation journey. First, thank you to my dissertation chair, Dr. Lisa M. Hooper. I am grateful for your guidance, wisdom, and patience, the priority you place on your students, and your willingness to work with me across continents. I am also grateful to my committee members, Dr. Detra Johnson, Dr. Ahmad Washington, and Dr. Hongryun Woo, for your support, expertise, and flexibility as I completed this dissertation process. Thank you to Extreme Nazarene Missions and the Global Mission Department of the Church of the Nazarene for your kindness and willingness to assist me throughout the course of this project. Without your support, I would not have been able to complete this research study. I am grateful for the opportunity I have to be part of these organizations and the missions work that is being done around the world. To my amazing family who has unconditionally loved, supported, and encouraged me through every step of this long journey – thank you for always believing in me and for teaching me to believe in myself. And finally, to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, without whom none of this would be possible. To Him be the glory, forever and ever! iii ABSTRACT AN INVESTIGATION OF RELATIONSHIP CORRELATES AND PREDICTORS OF CULTURAL ADJUSTMENT AMONG MISSIONARIES Sarah Warren November 28, 2017 While research on the cultural adjustment of expatriates has existed for decades, information related to the cultural adjustment of missionaries is considerably lacking (Kimber, 2012). Information on missionary cultural adjustment often has been extrapolated from the greater expatriate population, in spite of differences existing between missionaries and other expatriates (Navara & James, 2002; 2005). This study examined the extent to which missionary relationships (with God, individuals from one’s host culture, individuals from one’s home culture, and other missionaries) correlate with and predict cultural adjustment among missionaries. Participants were recruited from the Church of the Nazarene’s Global Mission Department to complete an online survey consisting of the Sociocultural Adaptation Scale (SCAS; Ward & Kennedy, 1999), the Spiritual Assessment Inventory (SAI; Hall & Edwards, 1996; 2002), and the 2-Way Social Support Scale (SSS; Shakespeare-Finch & Obst, 2011). The final sample included 101 English-speaking missionaries who have been serving for at least three months. While results of the bivariate analyses did not find a correlation between cultural adjustment and overall level of relationship with God, there was a significant correlation iv found between cultural adjustment and the Instability subscale of the SAI, indicating that stability in one’s relationship with God is positively correlated with cultural adjustment. Results also indicated a significant correlation between cultural adjustment and missionaries’ relationships with individuals from their host culture. Additional bivariate analyses did not indicate a significant correlation between cultural adjustment and missionaries’ relationships with individuals from their home culture or cultural adjustment and relationships with other missionaries. Results of a multiple regression analysis indicated a significant positive relationship between cultural adjustment and the independent variables of relationship with God, individuals from one’s host culture, individuals from one’s home culture, and other missionaries. Further analysis indicated that missionary relationships with host nationals made a significant contribution to the multiple regression model, but no other variables had a significant impact on cultural adjustment. This study adds to the limited research on missionary cultural adjustment, providing information on the cultural adjustment process that can be used to increase the likelihood of missionary success in transitioning to a new cultural environment. . v TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ................................................................................................. iii ABSTRACT ....................................................................................................................... iv LIST OF TABLES ............................................................................................................. xi CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION .........................................................................................1 Conceptual Framework ........................................................................................................5 Cultural Adjustment .......................................................................................................5 Relationship with God ...................................................................................................6 Relationships with Others ..............................................................................................8 Theoretical Framework ........................................................................................................9 Problem Statement .............................................................................................................10 Research Questions and Hypotheses .................................................................................12 Need for the Study .............................................................................................................15 Significance of the Study ...................................................................................................16 Delimitations ......................................................................................................................18 Limitations .........................................................................................................................18 Definitions of the Current Study ........................................................................................19 Outline of the Dissertation Study .......................................................................................21 CHAPTER II: LITERATURE REVIEW ..........................................................................22 vi Cultural Adjustment ...........................................................................................................22 Expatriate Failure .........................................................................................................29 Missionary Cultural Adjustment ........................................................................................31 Relationship with God .......................................................................................................36 Relationships with Others ..................................................................................................37 Relationships from Home Culture ...............................................................................40 Relationships with Expatriates .....................................................................................41 Relationships with Host Nationals ...............................................................................42 Attachment Theory ............................................................................................................43 Summary ............................................................................................................................46 CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGY ...................................................................................48 Research Design .................................................................................................................48 Research Questions and Hypotheses .................................................................................49 Participants .........................................................................................................................51 Procedures ..........................................................................................................................52 Measures ............................................................................................................................53 Variables ......................................................................................................................53 Dependent variable ................................................................................................53 Independent variables ...........................................................................................53 Instruments ...................................................................................................................54 Demographic questions ..........................................................................................54 Sociocultural Adaptation Scale ..............................................................................54 Reliability .........................................................................................................55 vii Validity ............................................................................................................55 Spiritual Assessment Inventory .............................................................................56 Reliability .........................................................................................................56 Validity ............................................................................................................57 The 2-way Social Support Scale ............................................................................57 Reliability .........................................................................................................58 Validity ............................................................................................................58 Data Analysis .....................................................................................................................59 Research Question 1 ....................................................................................................59 Research Question 2 ....................................................................................................60 Research Question 3 ....................................................................................................60 Research Question 4 ....................................................................................................60 Research Question 5 ....................................................................................................61 Why Study the Questions? .................................................................................................61 Confidentiality ...................................................................................................................62 How I Gained Entry ...........................................................................................................62 Ethical Considerations of Human Subjects ........................................................................63 Summary ............................................................................................................................63 CHAPTER IV: RESULTS .................................................................................................65 Participants .........................................................................................................................65 Descriptive Statistics ..........................................................................................................70 Missionary Cultural Adjustment ..................................................................................71 Relationship with God .................................................................................................72 viii
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