CHAPTER 1

THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND

Given their own personal reasons and in their pursuit of higher education, students

all over the globe decide to leave home and study abroad. Most of them face problems

like the weather, different food, different educational system, financial problems,

language barrier, and unfamiliar living conditions that though some may be seemingly

simple can affect their adaptability in the country of their choice.

According to Hsiao-ping, Wu et.al (2015), international students help in enriching

the cultural diversity of college campuses and help students, faculty, and staff in

developing their skill in working with people from diverse upbringing and cultural

sensitivities. Nonetheless, as they pursue higher education of their home countries,

numerous international students encounter challenges. Akanwa (2015) mentioned that a

person's cultural value affects how he or she learns in instructional content and how he or

she engages and relates with other people. Relating to people is important in that the

instructional design of teamwork is a strong influence on working and learning. Despite

that culture is defined differently by scholars it remains central to how students approach

learning.

Moreover, Fusco (2017) mentioned that in the year 2016 there have been 1 million

students from other countries who went to the United States of America to study and over

300,000 students from the United States of America who studied out of the country.

Likewise, UNESCO also stated that in the 21st century there is roughly 12% escalation in
 2

the total of international students per year. Similarly, The International Organization for

Economic Cooperation and Development (as cited in Sood, 2012) declared in comparison

to the year 1975 and 2009, there is a whopping intensification of the number of

International students from 0.8 million to 3.5 million respectively. Demographic data on

gender also showed that there is a greater number of women who goes abroad to study

compared to men. This is so because they are influenced by the course they take which

focuses on cultures or social studies while men tend to study abroad due to peer

influences. On the other hand, the Bureau of Immigration Statistics (as cited in

studyinphil.com/know-philippines/foreign-students-in-philippines/) reported that there is

the enormous rise of international students studying in the Philippines from 7700 in 2011

to 26,000 in 2013, to more than 61,000 in 2014. In Metro Manila most foreign students

are studying in Adventist University of the Philippines, Centro Escolar University,

University of the East, Far Eastern University, Manila Central University, University of

Santo Tomas, Jose Rizal University and De La Salle University. (Bureau of Immigration,

2014).

In addition to these, international students studying dentistry have surplus

challenges due to the nature of the course. Basudan et al. (2017) stated that dental

students have higher stress levels compared to the general population and this can be

attributed to the dental education. Fatma (as cited by Bathan, 2015) claims that typical

sources of pressure for dental students include occupational factors such as demanding

curriculum and clinical training, uncooperative and anxious patients, deadlines and

complicated treatments.
 3

Newton (as cited by Bathan, 2015) said that personal factors may include

deficiency of self-confidence, likely controversy with patients, fellow students, staff and

faculty, examination phobia, reduces leisure time, and the differences between student's

expectations and reality to name a few. DeBose (2017), writing about international

students in health care programs, included communication, cultural differences, and

discrimination as some of the insurmountable issues being faced in providing quality

patient care.

From these works of literature collected by researchers, we can see that

international students face a myriad of challenges. This study intends to evaluate the

adaptability of international dental students as influenced by their support system and

language proficiency.

Statement of the Problem

The purpose of this study is to identify the relationship between support system

and language proficiency to the adaptability of international dental students. This study

sought to answer the following questions:

1. What is the extent of the support system of the respondents?

2. What is the extent of the language proficiency of the respondents?

3. What is the extent of the adaptability of the respondents?

4. Is there a significant difference in the support system of the respondents when the

following moderating variables are considered?

a. Age

b. Gender

c. Ethnic Group
 4

d. Socioeconomic Status

e. Mode of Support

f. Number of years staying in the Host Country

5. Is there a significant difference in the language proficiency of the respondents when

the following moderating variables are considered?

a. Age

b. Gender

c. Ethnic Group

d. Socioeconomic Status

e. Mode of Support

f. Number of years staying in the Host Country

6. Is there a significant difference in the adaptability of the respondents when the

following moderating variables are considered?

a. Age

b. Gender

c. Ethnic Group

d. Socioeconomic Status

e. Mode of Support

f. Numbers of years staying in the Host Country

7. Is there a significant relationship between support system and adaptability?

 5

8. Is there a significant relationship between the language proficiency and adaptability?

HYPOTHESES

1. There is no significant difference in the social support of the respondents when the

following moderating variables are considered:

a. Age

b. Gender

c. Ethnic Group

d. Socioeconomic Status

e. Mode of support

f. Numbers of years staying in the Host Country

2. There is no significant difference in the language proficiency of the respondents when

the following moderating variables are considered:

a. Age

b. Gender

c. Ethnic Group

d. Socioeconomic Status

e. Mode of support

f. Number of years staying in the Host Country

 6

3. There is no significant difference in the adaptability of the respondents when the

following moderating variables are considered:

a. Age

b. Gender

c. Ethnic Group

d. Socioeconomic Status

e. Mode of support

f. Numbers of years staying in the Host Country

4. There is no significant relationship between support system and adaptability.

5. There is no significant relationship between the language proficiency and

adaptability.

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This study may be used to help to understand the factors that may affect the

adaptability of the international dental students particularly support system and language

proficiency. Specifically, this study will be beneficial to the following:

International Dental Students. This study may help the international dental students to

know and understand better the determinant factors that may benefit them to adapt to the

private university especially new students who most probably experience these

challenges. In addition, this study will also evaluate the international dental students

actual social support, language proficiency and for adopting an appropriate social support
 7

and language improvement convenient for the respondents' adaptability in the private

university.

Administrators of the Educational Institution. This study may help the administrator

of the private university to have a feedback and evaluation regarding the support from the

private university to them. With this research, they can help the international dental

students more to adapt to the private university that trains students for eternity to make

this private university away from home. The administrator of the private university can

implement a mentor-mentee or care group program by colleges that can increase the trust

and strong relationship between the international dental students and the private

university credibility. The administrator of the private university also can implement

Elective Program (Exchange Students) Program to the international dental students to

their respective countries or between Adventist Institutional Dental University to increase

the coping skills and help them to know both the experience as dental students studying

in this private university and their local university for exchange of knowledge and better

adaptation.

Faculty and Staff of Dental School. This research is crucial to help for the dental school

faculty and staff to have an understanding student-faculty, student-staff and student-

student relationships are essential among international dental students for them to have a

better perspective in dealing with the students. Next, the dental school faculty and staff

will be mindful that the quality of a relationship that undergird produce a vibrant and

inclusive community that is cultivated and nurtured intentionally at all levels. Besides,

dental faculty and staff also matter clear and high expectations as central to the value and

impact the adaptability of international dental students that they will keep a certain
 8

benchmark standard for the dental school to surpass the expectation and mimic the dental

school standard from 1st world country. The dental school staff and faculty will be able

to provide an orientation program for international dental students regarding the private

university perspective and condition through a visual aid and face to face interaction with

the international dental students during their 1st year in the dental school and at the start

of their clinical program. Also, this study will help the dental faculty and staff to be a

supporter and motivator for the international dental students to adapt speedily in the

private university.

Parents. The parents may be benefited from this research through the information

provided by the researcher for them to be cognizant and understanding the challenges

faced by their children as an international dental student and help them to improve their

role for development particularly in the aspect of an emotional and moral support.

Additionally, the parents will prepare the international dental students prior to sending

them to the private university by basic culture and learning exposure, basic language

preparation and expectation about the private university. Parents can be the first supporter

of the international dental students at the start, ongoing and until the finish of program.

Guidance Counselor’s Office of the University. This study may be beneficial for the

guidance office in providing the guiding information about the possible challenges of the

international dental student for them to have a better understanding and provide a better

approach in helping the international dental student to achieve their academic excellence

and adaptation to the private university. The Guidance counselors can play an important

role as social, emotional and mental support for the international dental students to adapt

well in the private university. The Guidance office of the private university can provide
 9

program to enhance the confident and adaptation and orientation program for the

international dental students by establishing wellness and counseling centers to uphold

the mental health program among the international dental student. Since some of the

international dental student encountered some of situations such as cultural dissimilarities

in the principle regarding the mental health condition and strangeness of the resources,

the service have been underused by the international dental student.

Student Services Office. The student services offices will benefit from the study through

the data collected regarding the data collected and knowledge of the adaptability of the

international dental students in the private university. Apart from that, the student

services office is able to re-evaluate the current extra-curricular activities and policies

implemented that will encourage and motivate the international dental students to

improve social support towards international dental students, enhance their learning

experience and hopefully establish a program for international dental students about

language barrier every start of the semester.

International Student Association. The international student’s association play a major

role as social support group for the international dental students by in helping the new

international dental students to introduce and find other international dental students in

upper year in Dentistry program and people for their respective countries that can be their

circle of friends during their college year in the private university. In addition, the

international student of the university can make programs like acquaintance night or any

beneficial program with the international dental students from all level and as the whole

international students in the private university so that their can have a sense of belonging,

family-friends environment, form support groups and help the international dental
 10

students to experience an atmosphere home away from home that will help them to enjoy

and adapt well dental school in the private university.

Future Researchers. This study may help the further researcher to do an in-depth study

of each level of the international dental students through an interview and mixed- method

study. The further researcher can also do revision for the guidelines and intervention

program that will be produced from this study. Not only that, the further researchers can

do the same study with a comparative study to another dental school with more specific

dependent variables. Next, the further researcher also can research about the international

dental students through specific countries in Eastern or Western on how they adapt and

regarding academic performances relationship with their adaptation in the private

university.

SCOPE AND LIMITATION

This study was conducted at the College of Dentistry of a private university located

in Silang, Cavite. The study included 72 international students of the College of Dentistry

during the first semester of CY 2018-2019. However, international dental students that

have been studying in the Philippines for more than 10 years including their high school,

were not included in the study for avoiding biases in the study. This study included

variables such as support system, language proficiency, and adaptability.

Nevertheless, the study didn’t explore on the cultural practices, religion and

participant’s personality which is beyond the control of the researcher.

 11

The moderator variables of study are gender, age, ethnic group, socioeconomic

status and the number of years the respondents are staying in the host country and mode

of financial support.