Analysis of Youtube Content of Mixed-Marriage Women Living Overseas from The Perspective of Anxiety/Uncertainty Management

The advancement of technology has reduced distance and time constraints, leading to the intercultural marriages experienced by Indonesian women. This research aims to analyze the socio-cultural adjustment of mixed-marriage women from the Anxiety Uncertainty Management (AUM) perspective. Referring to AUM theory, the presence of uncertainty and anxiety serves a significant role in maintaining the focus of mixed-marriage women residing in foreign countries, particularly during cross-cultural interactions. This research utilizes a qualitative content analysis method with the assistance of NVivo 14 Plus to code the distribution of adjustment factors within the YouTube content. The selection of research samples was based on the diversity of husbands' origins, current country of residence, length of marriage, and the depth of women's engagement in sharing personal stories in their content, resulting in the selection of six account owners. The categorization of adjustment factors that emerged in the YouTube video content includes stages of uncertainty management, anxiety management, self-awareness, and effective communication. The results of this research indicate that all women go through the four stages of the AUM model in diverse forms. An additional finding in this study is that support systems play a significant role in assisting women to navigate during the adjustment phases.


INTRODUCTION
Technological developments have significantly reduced constraints imposed by time and space, thereby enhancing the likelihood of individuals from diverse cultures deciding to go through intercultural marriage (Sala & Ersoy Çelik, 2021).As human mobility increases, there has been a discernible rise in the prevalence of multicultural marriages in recent decades, and consequently, the marriage market has evolved (Heikkila & Rauhut, 2015).Previous studies have explored cross-cultural marriages, concentrating on the marital aspect rather than recognizing it as a phase in a relationship affected by certain pre-marital factors (Hu et al., 2021).Couples of diverse backgrounds encounter not just cultural distinctions but also societal challenges (Gierczyk & Dobosz, 2022).
The likelihood of conflicts and tensions in families with mixed marriages arises from variations in communication approaches, languages, religious practices, the adaptation level of migrating couples, social connections, cultural disparities in parenting styles, societal roles, gender practices, customs and traditions (Slany & Zadkowska, 2018).Those who are relocating to another country must adjust to the new environment and culture, with particular concern surrounding the aspect of communication (Phillo & Susanto, 2021).The rapidly evolving literature on cultural adaptation can be instrumental in understanding the key factors contributing to successful cultural adaptation, which is crucial for individuals, organizations, and society as a whole in a globalized world (Huff et al., 2021).
Acculturation plays a significant role in intercultural relationships, and studies suggest that Asians residing in the United States tend to acquire and embrace aspects of Western culture, such as language, attitudes, traditions, and specific values (Lee et al., 2017).Proficiency in the language of the host country and the duration of residence have been affirmed as moderating elements influencing the connection between cultural competence and socio-cultural adaptation (Tsang & Nguyen, 2023).Competence in a second language enhances cognitive engagement, yet the most influential predictors remain cultural intelligence and willingness to embrace new learning experiences (Poort et al., 2023).A positive correlation exists between cultural intelligence and life satisfaction, mediated by culture shock, setting the essential prerequisites for individuals to be adequately equipped to live overseas as an opportunity for personal development (Jurásek & Wawrosz, 2023).
William Gudykunst, an intercultural communication scholar, developed the Anxiety/Uncertainty Management (AUM) theory.Gudykunst proposed a model that combines uncertainty reduction theory and ethnolinguistic identity theory, providing a credible explanation for the processes of reducing uncertainty in intercultural interactions (Gudykunst, 1985).Bill Gudykunst's anxiety uncertainty management (AUM) theory focuses on interactions between cultural in-groups and unfamiliar individuals (Griffin, 2006).According to AUM, individuals have minimum and maximum thresholds for uncertainty and anxiety.The minimum threshold is the lowest amount of uncertainty an individual can experience before becoming unmotivated to predict the behavior of strangers during interaction (Neuliep, 2018).
On the other hand, the maximum threshold is the highest amount experienced by individuals who believe they can predict the attitudes, beliefs, and values of strangers, thus remaining comfortable in communication (Neuliep, 2018).Additionally, AUM incorporates the concepts of mindfulness and communication effectiveness.Neulip (2018) also writes that mindfulness refers to an individual's conscious attention to incoming information.Communication effectiveness refers to the idea that individuals interpret the meaning of a message relatively similarly to the sender's intended meaning.
Uncertainty relates to the desire to comprehend something definitively, and anxiety is characterized by a sense of concern.Gudykunst argues that both uncertainty and anxiety are crucial as they help maintain our focus and are necessary when engaging with individuals from diverse cultures (Littlejohn et al., 2017).Mindfulness occurs when individuals possess awareness of their communication styles and strategies, and effective communication refers to the interchange of messages leading to optimal comprehension (Littlejohn et al., 2017).Concerning mindfulness, individuals who have heightened mindfulness levels often encounter reduced  This study defines intercultural marriage, commonly known as mixed marriage, as a marital union where the husband and wife originate from different countries.They possess diverse cultural backgrounds and nationalities.In this research, wives relocate to reside in their husband's home country, with most of these women still retaining their original nationality.This study focuses on the YouTube contents produced by mixedmarriage women who possess their respective channels.By referring to the available literature on the AUM model, the author will connect these concepts with the socio-cultural adjustment process experienced by mixedmarriage.The components are presented in Figure 1.This study aims to investigate the related socio-cultural challenges.The theory of Anxiety/Uncertainty Management (AUM) becomes a lens to identify the challenges.

RESEARCH METHODS
This study employs a qualitative approach, constructivist paradigm approach to investigate individuals' realities based on their distinct experiences.Although qualitative content (QCA) is commonly applied to analyse interviews and focus groups, whenever systematic analysis of qualitative material is required by predefined categories, this does not imply that QCA is less appropriate for social media data (Kuckartz & Radiker, 2023).The data collection process involves selecting YouTube content created by Indonesian women who are married to foreign nationals and reside with their spouses abroad.Researcher meticulously choose women and their content that aligns with the research criteria.The data resource criteria focus on women with spouses from diverse countries of origin and residency and marriages exceeding three years, aiming to uncover varied experiences among them.The research also selects content from several women residing in continental Europe to capture diverse perspectives among them, despite living on the same continent.
Researcher conduct video observation, selecting videos that meet the research criteria over approximately one month.The objective is to identify socio-cultural adjustment factors in the narratives presented in YouTube content, utilizing NVivo 14 for coding.The selected content covers themes like culture shock, the challenges of intercultural marriage, and the experiences of adapting to life in a foreign country.
Information is gathered by watching various YouTube videos and comparing the comprehensiveness of the content.Videos that solely depict daily activities without insights into interactions with strangers are excluded from the research dataset.Limitations in finding content creators willing to share extensive experiences led to the selection of only six participants.
Triangulation involves employing two different methods to ensure the validity of the gathered data (Bachtiar S. Bachri, 2010).To ensure data validity, the chosen videos were recorded over several years to assess if shifts in women's behavior impacted the narratives they conveyed.Moreover, videos are scrutinized multiple times, and their content is cross-checked on separate working papers.
To maintain realiability, researchers verify the consistency of the information encoded in NVivo with separate working papers.Based on the criteria mentioned above, the details of the research data sources are presented in Table 1.

RESULT AND DISCUSSION
This study focuses on the socio-cultural factors experienced by mixed-marriage women in adapting to environments abroad.The examination yields four elements of AUM model, comprising uncertainty, anxiety, mindfulness and effective communication.Here are the study results derived from six content creators, categorized into various phase subcategories based on the AUM viewpoint:

Uncertainty Management
The majority of women encountered two noteworthy cultural shocks acclimating to the cold climate and adapting to the local cuisine.Moving from a tropical country to a four-season country poses its own challenges.According to a P1 in Norway, she found it unexpected that the feeling of cold persisted even throughout the summer.P3 in the Netherlands asserts that she undergoes a winter-related depression, leading her to temporary cease working.Additionally, during the initial period, they both acknowledged having difficulty finding appropriate meals as they were still strongly drawn to the flavors of authentic Indonesian cuisine.
Additional findings include culture shock in the relationships between spouses in mixed marriages.During the early phase of residing with her husband, P3 acknowledged facing minor conflicts, and at a certain juncture, she expressed a desire to return to Indonesia.Detailed narrative distribution regarding the stages of uncertainty management in Table 2. Another challenge is that the majority of women have encountered homesickness.
Another challenge is that the majority of women have encountered homesickness.P5 and P6 lost their father in Indonesia but were unable to return due to the COVID-19 pandemic.P2 recounted a similar yet distinct experience, frequently yearning for her family in Indonesia, leading to a solitary tear.
Despite the challenges faced by some women, there are positive elements, as exemplified by P3.She proactively acquired Dutch language skills as mandated by the Dutch government, thereby becoming proficient in the fundamentals of the language before relocating.Looking at the details above, the uncertainty of living for women in mixed marriage in a new country arises from several factors, such as cultural shock, which includes issues of food, weather, and relationships with husbands.

Anxiety Management
The line between managing uncertainty and managing anxiety isn't clearly defined.This implies that women navigating uncertainty also confront anxiety and turbulent emotions.P4 in the United States, despite being proficient in English, often encounters unfamiliar words and struggles to understand the meanings when conversing with native speakers.This highlights how language differences serve as a barrier for women trying to engage in conversations with the goal of integrating with people from different cultures.In certain videos, women residing in non-English-speaking countries undergo periods of timidity when attempting to greet locals.
Another obstacle during the initial period in the new country was that women encountered identity crises.They were experiencing profound loneliness as they lacked friends or acquaintances.The challenge of forming friendships is widely recognized by most women.Differences in the host country's culture also pose difficulties in establishing connections with local residents.The anxiety challenges for women, including hindrances to their willingness of interaction, identity crisis, concerns related to emotional support and mental health.P3 experienced feelings of alienation and overall unhappiness while hanging out in the Netherlands.The breakdown of narrative distribution regarding the stages of anxiety management is presented in Table 3.

Mindfulness
Women advance to mindfulness after effectively navigating uncertainty and anxiety.During this stage, women attain a heightened level of acceptance toward differences.As shared by P4, her experience of living in the United States led to a deeper appreciation for diversity.In Indonesia, her interactions were limited to individuals from the same region.However, in the United States, resembling a melting pot, she adapted to engaging with people from diverse backgrounds, countries, cultures, religions and varying skin colors.In the family context, P3 in the Netherlands are also actively addressing character and cultural disparities within her marriage life.The positive impact of women's endeavors in socio-cultural adjustment becomes apparent as they accept the genuine existence of cultural differences.
Furthermore, at this stage, women have also demonstrated an increased motivation to acquire new knowledge.P1 expresses delight in encountering numerous novel experiences, leading to an expansion of her knowledge and open-mindedness.Over time in a new country, nearly all women attest to their efforts to become proficient in the language of their host nation.P3 in the Netherlands shares her experience of overcoming initial job rejection due to language obstacles, subsequently fueling her motivation to master the Dutch language through advanced language courses.A breakdown of narrative distribution concerning the stages of mindfulness can be found in Table 4.In this study, it was discovered that despite women successfully adapting to uncertainty and anxiety, there are instances when they are not consistently mindful.P1 and P5 acknowledged experiencing frustration with their husbands over divergent approaches to disciplining their children.P3 conveyed frustration with her superiors and colleagues, who are fellow Indonesians, due to differences in working styles.Similarly, P6 encountered annoyance with her neighbors.This suggests that women may not always exhibit mindfulness.There are specific situations that require effort and time to manage their emotions.

Effective Communication
Effective communication signifies that the women have reached the final stage of adjustment.They moved beyond the effort to adapt socio-culturally and have fully embraced and adjusted to the new socio-cultural environment.Women experience changes in social identity after residing abroad for several years.P2 has adopted the Spanish cultural tradition and now feels comfortable exchanging cheek kisses with relatives, shedding any previous awkwardness.In the United States, P4 becomes more independent due to the strong influence of an individualistic culture around her.The details of an effective communication narrative are presented in Table 5. P3 mentioned that upon leaving her job, she decided to create a YouTube channel with the intention of sharing narratives about her experiences living abroad.Similarly, in China, P5 also decided to establish a YouTube channel with the aim of improving her family's economic situation, as her husband's illness prevented him from returning to work.The idea of change has been experienced by both women, despite their different primary reasons.Ultimately, they were able to discover new creativity while achieving economic independence.

Support Role
Another important aspect is intercultural communication, which goes beyond interactions solely between couples from different cultural backgrounds.To successfully navigate through various stages and attain effective communication, the husband's role is pivotal.The women acknowledge that their husbands are their consistent companions, as their entire families reside in Indonesia.During times of difficulty, they instinctively turn to their husbands for discussion.P6 encountered a conflict with her local neighbors, prompting frustration.Nonetheless, her husband advised against confrontation, mindful of their status as foreign residents.P6 followed this counsel by practicing social avoidance, prioritizing the cultivation of harmony.
Conversely, marital conflicts, especially in culturally divergent unions, may arise.P1 and P5 encountered similar issues stemming from differences in parenting approaches between spouses.These disparities in child-rearing methods may originate from cultural contrasts or varying educational backgrounds between partners (Sala & Ersoy Çelik, 2021).Additionally, P6 highlights divergent problemsolving approaches with her husband.In managing such conflicts, the husband's role is pivotal in listening to and compromising with a culturally dissimilar wife.This discussion is based on research findings and proposes AUM models of adjustment for mixed-marriage women living overseas.Overall, the model is summarized in Figure 2. Regarding to the first stage, previous research has recognized difficulties, including culture shock related to weather and food, as well as homesickness, identifying them as sociocultural adjustment factors in the uncertainty management stage (Mumtaz & Nadeem, 2022).In the second stage, women relocating to another country also undergo anxiety stemming from an identity crisis.Identity crisis is a prevalent challenge encountered by individuals moving to foreign nations, leading to diminished selfconfidence manifested through aspects like a sense of aimlessness, apprehension of judgement, and emotional strain (Kumari, 2023).
Referring to mindfulness in the third stage, previous scientific studies have shown the advantages of mindfulness for mental health, emotional and well-being (Conboy & Clancy, 2022).For researchers with an empirical mindset, like Gudykunst, there is currently no established procedure to measure when people are practicing mindfulness (Griffin, 2006).The stages of effective communication were identified, including social bonding/avoidance, social identity change, cultural distance, and intercultural communication (Mumtaz & Nadeem, 2022).
The pinnacle of adjustment for women in mixed marriages is reached through effective communication.During this phase, sociocultural aspects like shifts in social identity, social ties, social distance, and intercultural communication become firmly established.The observed intercultural communication in this study suggests that women in various cultural settings have achieved a heightened level of understanding at this peak stage.In practical terms, this research offers valuable insights for individuals contemplating marriage to foreign nationals, fostering a deeper understanding of the adaptation journey for women in mixed marriages.
Overall, the research underscores the unique challenges encountered by women in mixed marriages during the adaptation process.They grapple with cultural adjustments and often experience feelings of nostalgia, particularly in the initial phase of relocating to the host country.Moreover, they face identity crises, such as loneliness stemming from a lack of emotional support.Thus, the support networks provided by husband play a pivotal role.

CONCLUSION
This research utilizes the AUM model to gain insight into the socio-cultural adjustment factors of women in mixed marriages residing in foreign country.Through the qualitative content analysis of six women's YouTube channels, various adjustment factors were identified and systematically organized to illustrate the adjustment model for mixed-marriage women within the AUM model.The model illustrates adjustment across four stages, uncertainty management, anxiety management, mindfulness and effective communication.Considering that all six women are married to foreign nationals and live in different countries, this study places emphasis on the presence of diverse adjustments.The research findings show that women universally undergo the four stages of AUM model with various manifestations.The significant discovery is that almost all women confirm that, over time spent in a foreign country, they progressively overcame the obstacles.The model in this study underscores the significant role of support systems, including husband in facilitating women's adaptation endeavors.
From a theoretical implication, this research could enhance studies on the adaptation phases experienced by women in mixed marriages.The findings indicate that the adaptation process may present specific challenges for these women.In practical implication, the study's outcomes can inform the development of policies or support initiatives for Indonesian citizens abroad.Especially women cohabiting with foreign nationals while maintaining their original citizenship.These policies aim to mitigate potential negative incidents or adverse psychological effects for women.
Although this research makes a significant contribution on the particular topic, this study not immune to a few limitations.The identification of socio-cultural adjustment factors could be further explored.The contents of the participants' YouTube channels mostly focus on daily activities, resulting in relatively limited content regarding women's narration of the adjustment processes.The YouTube videos collected for this research are still relatively limited, yet many issues need further exploration.Future studies are expected to employ alternative data collection methods such as interviewing the account owners.By using this method, it is anticipated that additional insights, potentially undisclosed by content creators publicly, will enhance the dataset.Furthermore, it is expected that more profound insights will broaden and enhance the analysis of the results.
(2022) also convey the benefits individuals receive from having mindfulness may differ based on their attributes, the nature of the task, and the specific situational context.

Figure 1 .
Figure 1.Initial Framework of Research Image Source: The Researcher's Processed Results Reprocessed From The Research Framework by Mumtaz, S., & Nadeem, S. (2022)

Figure 2 .
Figure 2. The AUM Model of Mixed-Marriage Women Adaptation Image Source: The Researcher's Processed Results Reprocessed From The AUM Model by Mumtaz, S., & Nadeem, S. (2022)