The protective function of meaning of life on life satisfaction among Chinese students in Australia and Hong Kong: A cross-cultural comparative study

Objective: The authors compared the predictive effects of, acculturative stressors and meaning of life on life satisfaction between Chinese students in Australia and in Horn, Kong. Participants: In 2006, the researchers recruited 606 Chinese students studying abroad at the University of Melbourne in Australia and at 6 Universities in Hong Kong. Methods: Participants completed a questionnaire that included measures of acculturative stressors. meaning of life, life satisfaction, and demographic information. Results: The Australian sample experienced a significantly higher level of acculturative stressors than did the Hong Kong sample, but life satisfaction did not differ significantly between the 2 samples. Meaning of life had it strong positive contribution and acculturative stressors had a negative contribution in predicting life satisfaction in both samples. Meaning of life partially mediated the relationship between acculturative stressors and life satisfaction in both samples. Conclusions: The authors discuss the theoretical and practical implications for Chinese students studying abroad.