A repeated measures investigation of the first-year adaptation experiences of the female expatriate spouse living in Turkey


Bikos L. H., Ciftci A., Guneri O. Y., Demir C. E., Sumer Z. H., Danielson S., ...More

JOURNAL OF CAREER DEVELOPMENT, vol.34, no.1, pp.5-27, 2007 (SSCI) identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 34 Issue: 1
  • Publication Date: 2007
  • Doi Number: 10.1177/0894845307304063
  • Journal Name: JOURNAL OF CAREER DEVELOPMENT
  • Journal Indexes: Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Scopus
  • Page Numbers: pp.5-27
  • Keywords: culture shock, expatriate adaptation, expatriate spouse, life role salience, Turkey, MARITAL SATISFACTION SCALE, LIFE-ROLE-SALIENCE, SOCIOCULTURAL ADJUSTMENT, INTERNATIONAL ADJUSTMENT, CONSTRUCT-VALIDATION, SPACE APPROACH, U-CURVE, SAMPLE, WOMEN, MODEL
  • Middle East Technical University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

Using a 1 -year longitudinal-panel design, 32 American, female expatriate spouses who relocated to Ankara, Turkey, completed measures of global functioning and were interviewed at just-arrived, 3-, 6-, 9-, and 12-month stages. Because of the mixed methods approach of this project, results of the Naturalistic Inquiry are reported in a companion manuscript (Bikos et al., 2007, this issue). Differences in the importance and expectation of life roles (i.e., occupational, parent, marital, homecare) were found. Quantitative results indicated no differences in life roles importance, alcohol use, marital satisfaction, or mental health functioning as a function of time-in-country. Analyses do not support the culture shock/U-curve model as a predictable pattern of adaptation. The authors conclude that time-in-country is only one of a myriad of variables that could be used to predict adaptation. Future expatriate research should use models that offer greater complexity.