The Interplay of Work-Family Life and Psychosocial Adjustment for International Graduate Students

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to critically review the literature on the interplay of work-family life and psychosocial adjustment of married international graduate students to the United States, provide evidence for a complicated and integrated support mechanism for married international graduate students, and make specific recommendations. Empirical studies on student and expatriate work-family life and psychosocial adjustment are reviewed. Studies indicated a significant negative relationship between work-family conflict and (a) life satisfaction, (b) work satisfaction, and (c) family satisfaction. Moreover, studies signified a positive relationship between work-family balance and (a) psychological well-being and (b) sociocultural adjustment. Due to the difficulty of separating work and family domains for married international graduate students, it will be critical to find ways to support international graduate students’ work and family life in an integrated way, which would help with their psychosocial adjustment to the United States. This support could be done through organizing seminars or workshops on healthy work-family balance, having their spouses involved in the graduate student orientation program, or discussing work-family issues and their influence on married graduate students’ lives through group programs. The paper’s implications would be of value to married international graduate students who are planning to study in a foreign country by helping ease their adjustment process.