This is a multi-method research which consists of four studies. The first examined the influence of cultural values and ethnic identity on collective self-esteem, acculturative stress and attitudes toward seeking psychological help among 117 Saudi students living and studying in the UK, 20 of them were interviewed in the second part of the study in order to examine their acculturation strategies and their attitude toward seeking psychological help. The measures used were: Asian Values Scale (AVS), Male Arab Acculturation Scale (MAAS), Male Arabic Ethnic Identity Measure (MAEIM), Attitudes toward Seeking Professional Psychological Help-Short Form (ATSPPH-SF), and Collective Self-Esteem (CSE-R). The study sample was divided into two groups: 49 (Junior) newly arrived students and 68 (senior) students who had spent more than one year in the UK. Also, gender and marital status were considered as variables. Interviews were conducted to examine the questionnaire's findings in depth. Results supported the hypothesis that adherence to original cultural values is a positive predictor of collective self-esteem. Also it was found that there was a difference between new and senior students in the scores on the following scales: AVS, CSE, SAFE, ATSPP, and MAAS Int. Results also supported the hypothesis that ethnic identity is a positive predictor of collective self-esteem. However, no relation was observed between adherence to original cultural values and students‟ attitudes towards seeking psychological help, acculturative stress, and communication styles. Also, ethnic identity did not correlate with acculturative stress. Regarding gender and marital status, findings suggest that they are not significant predictors of the research‟s dependent variables. In the third part of the study: the researcher examined and measured the effect of providing counselling sessions for a sample of 12 Saudi students during their stay in the UK using a pre- and post- Culture Shock Questionnaire, and results were compared with a control group of 12 Saudi participants who were not engaged in the counselling sessions. Results were statistically significant for the experimental group which indicated a positive effect of providing counseling services for Saudi students. In the fourth part of the study: the researcher measured the effect of reverse culture shock on students who returned home using a modified version of the Home-comer Culture Shock Scales (HCSS) and inviting view participants to take part in un formal interview. The thesis will be concluded with an explanatory conclusion which might lead to further studies.

This study aims to present a design for a tool for sustainable integration of international students at KTH in Stockholm, Sweden. Integration has 3 main parts, social integration which is interaction with natives, structural which is concerned with a civic number, a job, and last but not least cultural integration which deals with customs, traditions, and religion. The tool has two main features, both of which are aiming to create favourable conditions for all three subsets of integration. The tool was developed by conducting 18 interviews, two rounds of prototyping and two rounds of user testing. It is made out of two main parts, namely informational and social. The information provided is both structural about institutions and getting around, whereas also information about cultural events, attendance at these by international students has the potential to strengthen social integration as well. The social part is designed as a 1-on-1 randomised chat that aims to encourage forming new friendships between international students and natives. This part allows new students to ask questions about anything, the process will get them randomly assigned to any native who shall answer which will create favourable conditions for forming new friendships between newcomers and natives. / Denna studie syftar till att presentera en design för ett verktyg för hållbar integrering av internationella studenter på KTH i Stockholm. Integration har tre huvuddelar, social integration som är interaktion med de infödda, strukturell integration som berör ett personnummer, ett jobb, och sist men inte minst kulturell integration som handlar om sedvänjor, traditioner och religion. Verktyget har två huvuddrag, som båda syftar till att skapa gynnsamma förutsättningar för alla tre undergrupper av integration. Verktyget utvecklades genom att genomföra 18 intervjuer, två prototyper och två testundersökningar. Den består av två huvuddelar, nämligen den informativa delen och den sociala delen. Denna information är både strukturell om institutioner och hur man tar sig runt, och information om kulturella evenemang, även deltagande i dessa av internationella studenter har potential att stärka social integration. Den sociala delen är utformad som en 1-till-1 randomiserad chatt som syftar till att uppmuntra skapandet av nya vänskaper mellan internationella studenter och de infödda. Denna del tillåter nya studenter att ställa frågor om vad som helst, processen kommer att slumpmässigt tilldela dem en infödd som är tillgänglig, vilket kommer skapa gynnsamma förutsättningar för att forma nya vänskaper mellan nykomlingar och infödda medborgare.

<p>This dissertation examines the role in the migration process between Sweden and Finland of the Swedish-speaking minority group, the Finland Swedes. The causes underlying migration, as well as the integration of the group in Sweden, constitute the main focuses of the study.</p><p>It is concluded that Finland Swedes are over-represented in the total migration process from Finland to Sweden. As such, the process is culturally embedded in the group’s ethnic identity, which causes migration both through the practical minority situation in Finland, and through ethnic affinity with Sweden. Further causes include the substantial, circular networks of cultural, social and economic contacts between Sweden and Finland. </p><p>In the integration process, the transformation of the group’s ethnic identity is the central area of analysis. Initially, the ethnic affinity with Sweden is transformed into strengthened loyalties to Finland. As early as the first generation of migrants, however, the Finland Swedes enter into a process of assimilation in Sweden.</p><p>The migration process reveals the complex identity construction of the Finland Swedes. The ethnic identity is constituted of relations both towards the Finnish-speaking majority group, and towards Sweden as an extended Swedish-speaking area. The ethnic identity is mediated through national and personal identities, which are linked to both Sweden and Finland.</p><p>The findings have been produced within the methodological framework of critical realism, using a multiple-method research design. An individually based, statistical data set focused on the extension of the Finland-Swedish migration pattern, whereas an in-depth interview study was used to analyse the deeper causes of migration and integration.</p>

This dissertation examines the role in the migration process between Sweden and Finland of the Swedish-speaking minority group, the Finland Swedes. The causes underlying migration, as well as the integration of the group in Sweden, constitute the main focuses of the study. It is concluded that Finland Swedes are over-represented in the total migration process from Finland to Sweden. As such, the process is culturally embedded in the group’s ethnic identity, which causes migration both through the practical minority situation in Finland, and through ethnic affinity with Sweden. Further causes include the substantial, circular networks of cultural, social and economic contacts between Sweden and Finland. In the integration process, the transformation of the group’s ethnic identity is the central area of analysis. Initially, the ethnic affinity with Sweden is transformed into strengthened loyalties to Finland. As early as the first generation of migrants, however, the Finland Swedes enter into a process of assimilation in Sweden. The migration process reveals the complex identity construction of the Finland Swedes. The ethnic identity is constituted of relations both towards the Finnish-speaking majority group, and towards Sweden as an extended Swedish-speaking area. The ethnic identity is mediated through national and personal identities, which are linked to both Sweden and Finland. The findings have been produced within the methodological framework of critical realism, using a multiple-method research design. An individually based, statistical data set focused on the extension of the Finland-Swedish migration pattern, whereas an in-depth interview study was used to analyse the deeper causes of migration and integration.