Coping with intercultural transactions in multicultural societies

Abstract

The coping strategies that people in a multicultural society use to deal with the conflicts and stress arising from different cultural expectations in interpersonal relationships were investigated. Based on the results of a focus group analysis with 121 college students in Hawaii, a 62-item pool of coping behaviors was generated and another 503 college students reported the extent to which they used such coping behaviors in their daily life. Results of a factor analysis revealed 5 factors of coping strategies: Respect for and understanding of cultural differences, Self-development arising from negotiating between cultures, Support seeking; Avoidance and passive acceptance, and Rejection of monocultures and generation of unique identity. Also, multiple regression analyses showed that cognitive-based coping strategies were the key predictors of satisfaction with life.