Time Perspective and the Psychological Well-Being of Chinese University Students adapting to Russia

The purpose is to examine the specifics of time perspective and the psychological well-being of Chinese University students, who differ in their level of social-psychological adaptation to Russia.

The psychological well-being and time perspective.

With the use of 5 questionnaire-type methodologies we conducted the study with 120 RUDN University students (60 men and 60 women from China).

The comparative and factor analysis reveal that there are differences in time perspective and psychological well-being. Students from the 1st group, who have been in Russia for less than one year, have adapted the least to Russian culture. They experience a low level of subjective well-being. The 2nd with approximately 3 years of adapting to a new culture shows instability in adapting. Their level of self-acceptance is average; they often experience emotional discomfort. The 3rd group with more than 5 years of immersion into a new culture, demonstrates a higher level of adaptation as well as a higher level of subjective well-being. This group is able to identify the positive experiences from their past and can relate to the uncertainty of their future optimistically. A link was found between maladaptation in the context of poor time perceptive, a negative view of one’s self in the past and the inability to intrinsically control ones present. The results received cohere with the concept of adaptation as a cyclical ever-increasing curve Y.Y. Kim.

The observed differences can help to develop a program dedicated to the psychological adaptation of foreign students in Russia.