Storytelling, Values and Perceived Resilience among Chinese, Vietnamese, American and German Prospective Teachers

Abstract

Numerous qualitative studies, mostly with English speaking Westerners, have shown the important role of storytelling and values in promoting resilience. However, this quantitative study helps fill the gaps in the research, by investigating the mediator effects of storytelling on values and resilience of American, German, Chinese, and Vietnamese prospective teachers. The study, using path analysis, investigated how cultural differences influenced perceptions about storytelling, resilience and values. Open to change values of stimulation, self-direction, hedonism and universalism had the largest associations in the Final Model. The results of the multiple group analyses showed that the Final Model path estimates were invariant across cultural groups, but the error variances of the mean values were not invariant. Individual differences accounted for the variance more than cultural differences. The implications for educators, desiring to leverage literacy instruction with storytelling, are discussed.