Cultural adjustment and culture shock
The four stages recognized in cultural adjustment are called honeymoon, frustration, adjustment, and mastery and are part of this culture shock phenomenon.
While adjustment within a certain country generally takes these 4 stages of adjustment, there might very well in the end be a fifth stage. When returning tot he home country, adjustment might again prove difficult and result in a reverse culture shock. This leaves a Cross Cultural Adjustment Cycle that summaries as follows:
Stage 1: Excitement and fascination with the new culture.
Stage 2: Crisis period.
Stage 3: Adjustment phase.
Stage 4: Acceptance and Adaptation phase.
Stage 5: Reentry shock.
This might result in different psychiatric conditions, involving depression, anxiety, confusion, etc.
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