Abstract

The purpose of this study was to delineate certain parameters of the experience of student missionaries to Japan. This study was a longitudinal, descriptive study which identified background characteristics, aspects of the adaptation process, and stages and intensity of culture shock.

A group of twenty-seven student missionaries were followed from their arrival in Japan, which occurred over a three-month summer period, through the following May, just prior to their expected departure. Data were gathered using interviews, questionnaires, a semantic differential (to measure attitudes), and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory.

The time when subjects were most at risk for high anxiety, poorer health, feeling generally low, and noticing symptoms of culture shock in themselves was the beginning of the year. Measures of social interaction with Japanese and Americans were either stable, or fit in with the negative to positive pattern found in the above measures. The only major variable which did not fit in with this pattern was attitude change, where we find attitudes becoming more negative over the year. There was no U-shaped curve pattern or honeymoon stage identified. All trends were basically linear.

Analyses were done of the interactions of anxiety and attitudes with sex, age, having had a missions orientation class, having an opposite sex friend on arrival, length of preparation time, and having shared a bedroom with a sibling. Significant statistical interactions were found involving attitudes and sex, attitudes and length of preparation time, attitudes and having shared a bedroom with a sibling, anxiety and sex, and anxiety and having had a missions orientation class.

Department

Anthropology

School

Graduate School

First Advisor

James H. Stirling

Second Advisor

John W. Elick

Third Advisor

Jerry W. Lee

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Degree Level

M.A.

Year Degree Awarded

1979

Date (Title Page)

8-1979

Language

English

Library of Congress/MESH Subject Headings

Culture conflict; Missionaries, Student -- Japan

Type

Thesis

Page Count

x; 190

Digital Format

PDF

Digital Publisher

Loma Linda University Libraries

Usage Rights

This title appears here courtesy of the author, who has granted Loma Linda University a limited, non-exclusive right to make this publication available to the public. The author retains all other copyrights.

Collection

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Collection Website

http://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/etd/

Repository

Loma Linda University. Del E. Webb Memorial Library. University Archives

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