SOCIAL MEDIA USE, ACCULTURATIVE STRESS, AND SATISFACTION WITH LIFE AMONG INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS IN SINGAPORE

Abstract

This quantitative study applies the Uses and Gratifications theory (Katz, Blumler, & Gurevitch, 1973) to understand the use of social media among international students in universities in Singapore, and its relationship with acculturative stress and satisfaction with life among such students. Four main types of social media are examined: instant messaging platforms (IM), social networking sites (SNS), blogs, and microblogs. This study also included other predictor variables, namely Englishlanguage use, cultural distance, age of arrival in Singapore, and intention to remain in Singapore after graduation. A survey was conducted among 107 international undergraduate students from 22 countries studying in universities in Singapore. Results showed that lower acculturative stress levels were found to be related to higher levels of life satisfaction. While no significant associations were found between social media use and acculturative stress or satisfaction with life, the use of social networking services was associated with gratifications of peer attention, social exchange, and information seeking. English-language use, cultural distance in terms of power distance and uncertainty avoidance, as well as students’ intentions to remain in Singapore were found to be significantly related to life satisfaction. Suggestions for future research are also included in the study.