Page 163 - Never Too Far Away? The Roles of Social Network Sites in Sojourners’ Adjustment

stability and satisfaction. Moreover, SNS use was more crucial for relationship satisfaction and stability among sojourners in LDRR than among individuals in GCRR.
Main Implications of the Findings
How and to what extent do SNS interactions relate to sojourners’ adjustment? This dissertation demonstrated that any answer to the overarching research question must consider the social interaction contexts, the conceptualizations of SNS interaction and subjective outcomes, the directions of associations, and temporal lags. This is important in characterizing the complex, and somewhat paradoxical, roles of SNS in sojourners’ adjustment.
The findings of this dissertation showed that despite its promising features and affordances, SNS does not necessarily make sojourners perceive significant others from home as viable sources of support while in the host country. Moreover, the more that sojourners use SNS with the host-country network, the less supported they feel over time. SNS communication with significant others from the home country also does not help in alleviating homesickness. SNS interactions with the host-country network might be helpful when they are homesick. However, this might have long-term detrimental effects, such as developing possible dependency on the medium (Slater, 2015; Sheldon, Abad, & Hinsch, 2011). In the context of romantic relationships, SNS could play a role in LDRR maintenance processes such as: Relationship maintenance behaviors, partner surveillance, and experiences of jealousy with their romantic partner; as well as in accessing relationship support from a couple’s shared social network to facilitate relational adjustment.
Besides elucidating the roles of SNSs in sojourners’ adjustment, this dissertation validates the importance of face-to-face interactions with the host- country network in sojourners’ adjustment (Adelman, 1988; Hechanova-Alampay et al., 2002; Smith & Khawaja, 2011; Ward et al., 2001). Regular, face-to-face interactions with the host-country network are important in sojourners’ sense of social support. The results underscored the importance of building host-country network during sojourn.
In terms of theoretical contributions, this dissertation expanded the general framework of international sojourners’ adjustment based on earlier theorizing in the field of cross-cultural studies (Berry, 2003, 2006; Ward et al., 2001). Moreover,
Summary 161