Cross-cultural challenges and coping strategies of Filipino immigrants and migrants in United Kingdom / Clark Kent V. Cosare.

Thesis (Bachelor of Science in International Studies Major in European Studies) Cavite State University

Includes bibliographical references.

COSARE, CLARK KENT V., DELA CRUZ, ANDREY NICOLE F., DIOKNO, .JEMINA GEELA P. Cross-Cultural Challenges and Coping Strategies of Filipino Immigrants and Migrants in United Kingdom. Undergraduate Thesis. Bachelor of Science in International Studies. Cavite State University, Indang, Cavite. May 2017. Adviser: Prof. Nelia E. Feranil.

This study was conducted to determine the demographic characteristics, personality traits, cross-cultural challenges encountered, and coping strategies of Filipino participants to their sociocultural adaptation. Specifically, the study aimed to: 1) describe the selected demographic characteristics of the participants in terms of: sex, age, age of migration, educational attainment, and type of work; 2) determine the personality traits of the participants based on the Big Five Dimensions of Personality: extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, neuroticism, and openness to experience; 3) determine the cross-cultural challenges encountered by Filipino immigrants in terms of: environmental, time factor, language, living conditions, changing family dynamics, sociocultural interactions, and sociocultural competence; 4) determine the commonly used coping strategies of Filipino immigrants in UK with regards to sociocultural adjustment in terms of: social support, accommodative, planful problem solving, positive reappraisal, accepting responsibility, and tension reduction; 5) determine if there is a significant relationship between the selected demographic characteristics and cross-cultural challenges; 6) determine if there is a significant relationship between the selected demographic characteristics and coping strategies; 7) determine if there is a significant relationship between the personality traits and the cross-cultural challenges; and 8) determine if there is a significant relationship between the personality traits and the coping strategies of the participants.

A total 01 157 Filipino immigrants and migrants who have been working or settled in United Kingdom for at least six months served as participants of the study. Frequency count, percentage, mean, Spearman rank, Chi square, and Point Biserial were used in analyzing the data.

The results of the demographic characteristics indicated that most of the participants had ages ranging from 30 to 39 years (32%), female (69%), college graduate (95%), had age of migration ranging from 30 to 39 years (47%), and were working in health field (40%). The study revealed that most the common cross-cultural challenges encountered were climate, adapting to promptness of railway systems, living costs, dealing with homesickness, having limited/no interaction with fellow Filipinos, and maintaining hobbies and interests. It also showed that openness to experience was the most dominant personality trait of the participants; and the most commonly used coping strategies in sociocultural adaptation were maintaining close relationship with countrymen, accepting the help/assistance given by colleagues and coworkers, waking up and leaving early, taking pride in one's identity and culture, complying to the rules and policies, and surfing the net. The study also revealed that the selected demographic characteristics and personality traits have no significant relationship to the cross-challenges encountered and coping strategies used in sociocultural adaptation.

The authors recommend that future work should include other demographic characteristics such as prior overseas experience, employment status, marital status, length of stay in host country, cultural differences, and English proficiency.

Submitted to the University Library August 31, 2017 T-6963