Psychological pathways of intercultural adaptation among international students in Europe: identity negotiation and cognitive dissonance in counselling and mentoring contexts
- 1Faculty of Informatics, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
- 2Doctoral School of Informatics, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
- 3Institute of Psychology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
Abstract
Introduction: Intercultural adaptation is a very essential aspect of psychological integration. As one of Europe’s leading universities, Eötvös Loránd University Budapest welcomes new groups of students every year. To help them navigate the university system and to support the cultural integration process, we organise mentoring programs for them. Our students come from every continent, with the majority hailing from countries in Africa, the MENA region, and Asia. The purpose of this study is to explore the challenges and processes related to the intercultural adaptation of international students, with a particular focus on identity reconstruction, coping strategies, and the role of mentoring and psychological support in facilitating successful integration.
Methods: In this article, we will discuss two cases: the first case study revolves around an individual case, a student who, during this process, an individual participates in a series of counselling sessions, is seeking a new identity appropriate to their new situation, and the process of redefining identity takes place during a psychological consultation. The second case study revolves around group mentoring sessions: we summarise how international students perceive the university’s internal rules, how they manage their own adaptation accordingly, and what strategies they employ at different levels of coping. We also examine how their perceived reality aligns with their previous educational experiences in their home country and how they manage this cognitive dissonance.
Results: The case studies highlight that intercultural adaptation involves a continuous process of reconciling prior educational and cultural experiences with the expectations of the host institution. Both cases underscore the importance of identity reconstruction and adaptive coping strategies in promoting successful integration. Students interpret the differences between their previous educational environments and university norms in their own unique ways; overcoming cognitive dissonance is key to adaptation.
Discussion: Ultimately, we would like to draw some general conclusions for mental health counselling in higher education regarding which mentoring tools are most helpful and raise awareness of various topics among international students to facilitate their own integration. The results show that targeted mentoring tools and services that encourage structured self-reflection significantly facilitate international students’ adjustment. Raising awareness of cultural differences, academic expectations, and coping resources can further promote psychological well-being and successful integration into the university community.
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BibTeX
@article{takacs2026psychological,
title = {{Psychological pathways of intercultural adaptation among international students in Europe: identity negotiation and cognitive dissonance in counselling and mentoring contexts}},
author = {Rita Takacs and Viktória Nagy and Zsuzsa Kaló and Zoltán Horváth},
journal = {Frontiers in Sociology},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3389/fsoc.2026.1894672},
url = {https://doi.org/10.3389/fsoc.2026.1894672},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Psychological pathways of intercultural adaptation among international students in Europe: identity negotiation and cognitive dissonance in counselling and mentoring contexts
AU - Rita Takacs
AU - Viktória Nagy
AU - Zsuzsa Kaló
AU - Zoltán Horváth
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/22
JO - Frontiers in Sociology
DO - 10.3389/fsoc.2026.1894672
UR - https://doi.org/10.3389/fsoc.2026.1894672
AB - Introduction: Intercultural adaptation is a very essential aspect of psychological integration. As one of Europe’s leading universities, Eötvös Loránd University Budapest welcomes new groups of students every year. To help them navigate the university system and to support the cultural integration process, we organise mentoring programs for them. Our students come from every continent, with the majority hailing from countries in Africa, the MENA region, and Asia. The purpose of this study is to explore the challenges and processes related to the intercultural adaptation of international students, with a particular focus on identity reconstruction, coping strategies, and the role of mentoring and psychological support in facilitating successful integration. Methods: In this article, we will discuss two cases: the first case study revolves around an individual case, a student who, during this process, an individual participates in a series of counselling sessions, is seeking a new identity appropriate to their new situation, and the process of redefining identity takes place during a psychological consultation. The second case study revolves around group mentoring sessions: we summarise how international students perceive the university’s internal rules, how they manage their own adaptation accordingly, and what strategies they employ at different levels of coping. We also examine how their perceived reality aligns with their previous educational experiences in their home country and how they manage this cognitive dissonance. Results: The case studies highlight that intercultural adaptation involves a continuous process of reconciling prior educational and cultural experiences with the expectations of the host institution. Both cases underscore the importance of identity reconstruction and adaptive coping strategies in promoting successful integration. Students interpret the differences between their previous educational environments and university norms in their own unique ways; overcoming cognitive dissonance is key to adaptation. Discussion: Ultimately, we would like to draw some general conclusions for mental health counselling in higher education regarding which mentoring tools are most helpful and raise awareness of various topics among international students to facilitate their own integration. The results show that targeted mentoring tools and services that encourage structured self-reflection significantly facilitate international students’ adjustment. Raising awareness of cultural differences, academic expectations, and coping resources can further promote psychological well-being and successful integration into the university community.
SN - 2297-7775
ER -