Effect of study abroad on intercultural sensitivity

Abstract

One of the ways that students seek to prepare for the global job market is through studying abroad. Although little quantitative data has been collected to demonstrate the best way to develop intercultural sensitivity in students, the number of students participating in study abroad programs continues to increase. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect study abroad has on the development of intercultural learning and sensitivity with students at a mid-sized state-supported university in the Midwest.The research compared this intercultural development in students participating in study abroad and in students participating in on-campus courses. Statistical functions used for data analysis included paired samples t-test and independent sample t-test. Qualitative data was collected from interviews with study abroad students and email questionnaires sent to on-campus students at the end of the semester.The qualitative data revealed voices of change in both groups. The data gathering tool for the quantitative data was the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) (Hammer & Bennett, 2001). The results of the statistical analysis revealed that the groups progressed differently on several scales of the Development Model of Intercultural Sensitivity (DMIS) (Bennett, 1986(Bennett, , 1993. Neither group revealed significant changes. However, the study abroad group revealed noticeable changes and a small to moderate effect size.

Cultural Sensitivity and Related Factors Among Community Health Nurses

“…Past studies have identified a positive correlation between multicultural experiences and cultural sensitivity. For instance, people who had traveled abroad are more likely to have higher cultural self-efficacy (Anderson, Lawton, Rexeisen, & Hubbard, 2006;Clair & McKenry, 1999;Patterson, 2006;Ruddock & Turner, 2007). A study conducted by Paige, Jacobs-Cassuto, Yershova, and DeJaeghere (2003) indicated cultural sensitivity as positively correlated to crosscultural experiences, cultural studies, having friends of different cultural backgrounds, and interaction with different cultures.…”

The effect of study abroad on intercultural competence among undergraduate college students

“…A few exceptions notwithstanding (Kalunian, 1997, as cited in Pascarella & Terenzini, 2005Patterson, 2006;Wilkinson, 1998), researchers have repeatedly found that students who study abroad demonstrate positive change on several aspects of intercultural competence upon return to their home campuses. Although the language describing the outcome of interest varies across this body of work, numerous singleinstitution, small sample studies have investigated the effect of studying abroad on three broad aspects of intercultural competence: 1) the respondent's view of the host culture or country, 2) the respondent's global perspective or world mindedness, and 3) the respondent's intercultural awareness or sensitivity.…”

Table of Contents

“…A few exceptions notwithstanding (Kalunian, 1997, as cited in Pascarella andTerenzini, 2005;Patterson, 2006;Wilkinson, 1998aWilkinson, , 2000, researchers have repeatedly found that students who study abroad demonstrate positive change on several aspects of intercultural competence upon return to their home campuses. Although the language describing the outcome of interest varies across this body of work, numerous single-institution, small-sample studies have investigated the effect of studying abroad on three broad aspects of intercultural competence: (1) the respondent's view of the host culture or country, (2) the respondent's global perspective or world-mindedness, and (3) the respondent's intercultural awareness or sensitivity.…”