Undergoing acculturation: the effects of bicultural identity on the Eudaimonic well-being of Chinese students in the United States

Existing research indicates that bicultural individuals face significant stress factors such as discrimination, stereotyping, and dual identity negotiation, which can have negative impacts on their mental health. Therefore, it is crucial to understand the dual identities and Eudaimonic well-being (EWB), a type of well-being that focuses on identity formation, personal growth and fulfillment, of Chinese immigrants and international students during the acculturation process. This study investigates the relationships between bicultural identity integration, acculturative stress, and EWB among Chinese immigrants and international students in the United States. Specifically, the study examines two constructs of bicultural identity integration: cultural harmony and cultural blendedness, and their associations with acculturative stress and EWB, as well as the moderating role of length of immersion in this relationship. Self-report data were collected from 174 Chinese university students (aged 18 and above) enrolled in U.S. universities or colleges. The results indicate that cultural harmony was the key predictor of EWB, and that acculturative stress mediated the relationship between cultural harmony and EWB. Moreover, length of immersion moderated the indirect effect of cultural harmony on EWB through acculturative stress. These findings suggest that promoting cultural harmony could enhance EWB and reduce acculturative stress among bicultural individuals, although the impact of acculturative stress may vary depending on the length of cultural immersion and exposure to the host culture. The study has implications for mental health interventions and support services for Chinese immigrants and international students in the United States.