DON’T WORRY, I AM FINE: A QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS OF FAMILY COMMUNICATION AND DEPRESSION IN CHINESE INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS IN THE US

Depression and associated mental health problems are increasingly a critical health issue for Chinese international students in the U.S. (Lyubomirsky, Kasri, & Zehm, 2003; Cheung, 2011; Liu, 2009). Recent studies in different U.S. universities found a 32% to 47% rate for depression symptoms among Chinese international students (Cheung, 2011; Wei et al., 2007). The statistics suggest that Chinese students face a high prevalence of depression problems (Han et al., 2013). To address the depression problems, family communication provides substantial support for Chinese students (Liu, 2009). However, little is known about family communicative practices of this population (Wei et al., 2010). Extant studies and reviews show that there is a strong need to study depression and family communication in Chinese international students to better respond to their needs (Xing et al., 2010). This research aimed to explore the meanings of depression and parental communication practices in Chinese international students in the U.S., and find recommendations for developing family communication interventions that address depression. The participants were recruited through convenient sampling and purposive sampling method in the Chinese communities at Purdue. The data was collected by interviews and focus groups, and further transcribed and translated from Chinese into English. The software NVivo 10 was used to support data analysis, and grounded theory method was employed (Glasser & Strauss, 1967). Thematic analysis of the data developed the following themes: (1) meanings of depression: psychological, physiological and social disorder, (2) selective depression communication with parents, (3) positive and negative feedback of parents influence depression communication, (4) different communication styles of mothers and fathers, (5) childhood experiences influence depression communicative practices, (6) interdependence and conflicting expectations restrain depression communication. This study of depression communication contributes to the large field of emotion communication within the family, providing implications into family training programs, health professional practice, and university administration to better understand the needs of Chinese international students, and offer effective support to cope with depression

Do Consumers Trust the National Inspection Exemption Brands? Evidence from Infant Formula in China

Consumers are often uncertain about product quality and have to rely on different information, either given or pursued, to assess quality. Developing countries may lack institutional and technical resources to rigorously monitor and enforce product quality standards and/or to implement market-based instruments where market failures are common. The information-based instruments on product quality may work well in these countries as they reduce information asymmetry between firms and consumers. This study investigates one particular information-based instrument, the National Inspection Exemption (NIE) system in China. China launched the National Inspection Exemption (NIE) System in various industries in 2000 to award firms who are in compliance with the quality standards, to inform consumers of product quality, and to lessen the pressure on regulatory monitoring and enforcement of product quality standards. Once a firm is granted the NIE title by China's National Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ), its products are exempted from quality inspections by all governmental agencies at different levels for three years; but it is obligated to report the product quality condition to the local AQSIQ office annually. The NIE titled firms are also allowed to include the title in the product label and to use the status in the advertisement campaign. Based on the theoretical framework, we establish the hypothesis that consumers are more willing to buy the product with the NIE title and the NIE title is likely to increase sales revenue when consumers lack of means to assess quality. The empirical application of China dairy industry supports the theoretical hypothesis. In particular, using the firm-level panel data, we find that the NIE title boots sales revenue and the impact is both statistically and economically significant based on the difference-in-difference estimate and the random-fixed effect estimations. Furthermore, using the survey data collected right after the 2008 China milk scandal regarding the brand choice of infant formula among 1,228 mothers with infants and young children, we find that consumers’ preference for the NIE title still present even the NIE titled firms are involved in a food scare event. The positive NIE preference is particularly strong among highly educated consumers and those who buy domestic brands.brand choice, food safety, product quality, national inspection exemption, quality standards, Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety, Institutional and Behavioral Economics,