Relationships between selected personal characteristics of participating Tennessee 4-H Club members/Japan Labo Party members and selected exchange experiences in the 4-H/Labo exchange

The purpose of this study was to gain knowledge concerning the nature of relationships between personal characteristics of 4-H Club/Labo Party participants and exchange activities. Three areas of exchange experiences were identified for study. These were personal experiences, interpersonal relationship experiences, and pleasant/unpleasant experiences. Personal characteristics of 4-H Club Members and Labo Party Members studied were age and sex. Data were obtained from the 20 4-H Club Members and 37 Labo Party Members who participated in the 1985 exchange. The chi-square test was the statistical test used to determine strength of relationships between variables. A probability level of .05 was considered as being statistically significant.

Major findings included:

1. The largest percentage of 4-H Club participants were females, 14-15 years old, in the 9th-10th grade, inexperienced in traveling abroad, and lived with a Labo family which had previously hosted a member.

2. The largest percentage of Labo Party participants were males, 12-13 years old, and in the 7th-8th grade.

3. The largest percentage of A-H Club Members decided to participate in the exchange one year prior to departure compared to three years for the Labo Party Members.

4. The largest percentage of both Labo and 4-H Members wrote letters to their prospective host families more than any other predeparture plans.

5. A higher percentage of both 4-H and Labo Members indicated they experienced some pretrip anxiety before going to the host country.

6. Findings regarding causes of pretrip anxiety showed that the highest percentages of 4-H Club Members indiciated that being able to adjust to Japanese lifestyle was their biggest concern compared to the Labo Party Members whose greatest concern was being able to speak the language.

7. Male 4-H Club Members scored higher on the category of troublesome aspects of the exchange than females.

8. A higher proportion of male Labo Party Members than female members indicated that the level of communication between them and their host family was excellent.

9. Findings regarding time when actual communication between participant and host family began, shov;ed that a larger proportion of male Labo Party Members than female members indicated that communication started on the day of arrival.

10. Labo Party Members v/ho indicated they had been scolded by their host parents during the exchange were all 12-13 years of age.

11. Findings regarding communicating with the heart showed that a higher proportion of Labo Party Members who were 14 years old or older than the ones 12-13 felt that even though language was a barrier, it was still possible to communicate with the heart.

12. A larger proportion of female Labo Party Members than male members indicated they missed more things from home during the exchange.

13. Findings regarding causes of pretrip anxiety showed that a larger proportion of 12-13 year old Labo Party Members than members who were 14 years old or older scored higher on causes of pretrip anxiety.

Implications were given and recommendations for further studies were included.