This study explores the functional mechanisms of music in Chinese students’ cross-cultural adaptation during their first year in the UK. Research has shown that international students often faced psychological difficulties during the initial phase of cultural adaptation, including emotional instability, social difficulties, and identity confusion. At the same time, music has unique value in regulating psychological states, stimulating social motivation, enhancing cultural resonance, and facilitating identity reconstruction. Thus, this study revealed diverse functions and underlying processes of music in cultural adaptation. A two-phase qualitative design was adopted. Ten Chinese students between the ages of 23 to 28 were recruited. Firstly, a seven-day diary was used to record participants' musical events and psychological states in daily scenarios. Then, semi-structured interviews were used from diary results to explore participants' detailed progress and subjective understandings during the cultural adaptation. Thematic analysis, facilitated by NVivo 15, was employed to organize and examine the data. Results indicated that the role of music in adaptation were four functional domains: emotional regulation, learning adaptation, social interaction, and cultural identity. In emotion, music was frequently used to alleviate loneliness, stabilize mood, and provide companionship. However, a few refrained from music in times of exhaustion or emotional agitation. In learning, most preferred instrumental or lyric-free music (e.g., light music, white noise) to enhance concentration and reduce pressure. Some also indicated using English songs to promote language sensitivity and contextual understanding, but this effect was moderated by linguistic complexity and musical distraction. In social interaction, music was an affective medium of connection that enabled cultural recognition and emotional resonance among strangers, even acting as an "icebreaker" in unfamiliar settings. Nevertheless, when musical tastes diverged significantly, music occasionally became a source of discomfort or social distancing. In cultural identity and understanding, music allowed students to experience immersive local cultures, therefore deepening emotional involvement and precipitating reflection regarding the contrast between Western and Chinese emotional expressions, values, and aesthetic expectations. Overall, this study accentuates the complex, contextually dependent, and psychologically mediated character of music's regulatory function in cross-cultural adaptation. The effects of music are not universally positive nor uniformly experienced; instead, it is dynamically adjusted according to individual needs, situational demands, and cultural belonging. These findings contribute to the integration of music psychology and acculturation research and offer empirical insight into the potential of music-based practices in facilitating international students' psychological adjustment and cultural integration.

Cross-cultural Adaptation, Music, Diary, Semi-structured Interview, International Students