Cognitive-Behavioral Psychoeducational Program for Cultural Adaptation and Psychological Resilience Among International Students

This study evaluated a psychoeducational program developed to support psychological adaptation and resilience among first-year international university students experiencing elevated acculturative stress. Participants who met the study eligibility criteria were assigned to one of three study conditions: a cognitive-behavioral psychoeducation group, a placebo-control group receiving career guidance activities, or a waiting-list control group. The psychoeducational intervention was delivered over eight weeks. Psychological adaptation, resilience, and acculturative stress-related outcomes were assessed using standardized self-report measures before and after the intervention. The study aimed to examine whether participation in the psychoeducational program was associated with changes in these psychological outcomes compared with the two control conditions.

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Key information

Conditions

Acculturative Stress Psychological Adaptation Psychological Resilience

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

European University of Lefke

Mersin, Northern Cyprus, 99010, Turkey (Türkiye)

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

Scoring more than one standard deviation above the overall sample mean on the Acculturative Stress Scale for International Students (ASSIS).
Being a first-year international student enrolled at the study university.
Providing written informed consent.
Being able to attend the eight-week intervention program regularly.

Exclusion criteria

Not meeting the predefined ASSIS criterion for elevated acculturative stress.
Not being a first-year international student.
Not providing written informed consent.
Being unable to attend the eight-week intervention program regularly.

Treatment and study plan

Cognitive-Behavioral Psychoeducational Program

Behavioral

The intervention consisted of a structured cognitive-behavioral psychoeducational program designed to support psychological adaptation and resilience and to address acculturative stress among international students. The program was delivered once weekly for eight weeks, for a total of eight sessions. Sessions included psychoeducational and cognitive-behavioral activities focusing on cultural adaptation, coping with acculturative stress, and psychological resilience.

Career-Guidance Psychoeducational Program

Behavioral

Participants received a career-guidance psychoeducational program designed to provide information and activities related to career development. The program was delivered once weekly for eight weeks, for a total of eight sessions. It did not include the cognitive-behavioral components specifically targeting psychological adaptation, resilience, or acculturative stress.

Primary outcomes

Change in Acculturative Stress

Time frame: Baseline and immediately after the 8-week intervention

Acculturative stress was assessed using the Acculturative Stress Scale for International Students (ASSIS), developed by Sandhu and Asrabadi (1994). The ASSIS consists of 36 items rated on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). Total scores range from 36 to 180, with higher scores indicating greater acculturative stress. Change in ASSIS total scores from baseline to post-intervention was evaluated.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

European University of Lefke

Other

Registry information

Official study title

The Effect of a Psychological Adaptation and Psychological Resilience Psychoeducation Program on Acculturative Stress Among International Students

Important dates

Study start: 2025
Primary completion: 2025
Study completion: 2025
First posted: Sep 3, 2026
Registry last updated: Sep 3, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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