Honors Theses
Date of Award
Spring 5-8-2025
Document Type
Undergraduate Thesis
Department
Nutrition and Hospitality Management
First Advisor
Laurel Lambert
Second Advisor
Kritika Gupta
Third Advisor
Minjoo OH
Relational Format
Dissertation/Thesis
Abstract
Studying abroad presents a unique opportunity for college students to immerse themselves in new cultures, including experiencing different food environments and dietary customs. However, adapting to a foreign food culture can pose various challenges that impact students’ overall health, eating behaviors, and study abroad experiences. The purpose of this study to develop a survey instrument designed to investigate the extent to which U.S. study abroad students embrace, accept, and face challenges with different aspects of Italian food culture, using the Social Ecological Model (SEM) as a guiding framework. Initial survey items were developed with information obtained from focus group discussions and review of current literature. Following a survey review with three undergraduate students and content validation by four experts, the survey underwent pre-testing with 10 University of Mississippi students who had studied abroad in Florence, Italy. Based on participant feedback and expert consultation, multiple structural revisions were made to improve clarity, relevance, and internal consistency. The final version of the survey consisted of five domains: Changes in Food Habits and Consumption, Shopping Venues, Shopping Challenges, Meal Preparation, and Overall Perceptions. Descriptive statistics assessed participant characteristics and demographics. This survey instrument demonstrates potential as a valid and reliable tool for evaluating food-related acculturation changes and adaptability among U.S. study abroad students, which will help equip future study abroad students with resources and guidance to help them navigate and embrace new food cultures during their study abroad experiences.
Recommended Citation
Davis, Sydney C., "Challenges US Study Abroad Students Face When Acculturating To A Foreign Food Environment" (2025). Honors Theses. 3245.
https://egrove.olemiss.edu/hon_thesis/3245
Creative Commons License
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