Moving from one academic environment to another and relocating to a new country to
study is becoming an increasingly common occurrence. As well as providing cultural and
intellectual enrichment, this experience also presents challenges and difficulties. With the
increasing number of international students in France, an understanding of the psychologi-
calfactorsthatfacilitateadaptationisbecomingevermoreimportant.Theaimofthepresent
research was to consider elements facilitating or impeding Vietnamese international stu-
dents’ adaptation to France. Two samples of students were compared: 112 Vietnamese
international students in France and 101 French students, undergoing a first transition to
university.Thevariablesoftrait-anxiety,attachmentintimacyandattachmentanxiety,psy-
chological distress, satisfaction with social support, and (among the Vietnamese sample)
cultural identification were measured. Attachment intimacy and trait-anxiety moderated
by psychological distress were found to be relevant to the process of adaptation for both
samples. Co-national identification was also relevant to adaptation for the Vietnamese
sample. Other hypotheses were partially supported although, overall, attachment issues
appeared to be of greater significance to the Vietnamese than to the French respondents