A Study of intercultural adaptation and the development of intercultural sensitivity of Catalan/Spanish university students during study abroad

Pogorelova, Iryna

A Study of intercultural adaptation and the development of intercultural sensitivity of Catalan/Spanish university students during study abroad

Document Type

Doctoral thesis
Published Version

Author

Pogorelova, Iryna

Director

Trenchs i Parera, MIreia

Publication Date

2016-12-19

Pages

385 p.

Citation

Pogorelova, I. A Study of intercultural adaptation and the development of intercultural sensitivity of Catalan/Spanish university students during study abroad. Universitat Pompeu Fabra; 2016. handle: http://hdl.handle.net/10803/399299

This citation was generated automatically.

Doctoral program

Programa de doctorat en Humanitats

Abstract

The present dissertation investigates the impact of university study abroad (SA) programmes on intercultural adaptation and intercultural sensitivity of bilingual students from a multilingual and multicultural background. The study also examines their motives for taking part in SA programmes, pre-departure expectations and concerns. This research focuses on a group of twelve bilingual Catalan/Spanish students and employs a longitudinal design with both quantitative and qualitative methods. The results demonstrate how adaptation varied greatly depending on social, linguistic, and academic abilities. The study provides evidence that SA experiences have an overall positive effect on intercultural sensitivity although sojourns may also contribute to the development of cultural stereotypes. Expectations, language fluency, personal and linguistic confidence, and previous SA experiences appear to be factors influencing both adaptation and sensitivity. This dissertation provides recommendations so that higher education institutions organizing SA programmes can cater better for their students’ needs and make their cultural transitions smoother.
Aquesta tesi investiga l'impacte de les estades acadèmiques a l'estranger en l'adaptació intercultural i la sensibilitat intercultural d’estudiants bilingües provinents d’un context multilingüe i multicultural. L'estudi també examina els motius per participar en l’estada, les expectatives i les preocupacions prèvies a la partida. Aquesta investigació se centra en dotze estudiants bilingües en català i espanyol i empra un disseny longitudinal amb mètodes quantitatius i qualitatius. Els resultats demostren com l'adaptació varia segons les habilitats socials, lingüístiques i acadèmiques. L'estudi evidencia que la mobilitat té un efecte positiu sobre la sensibilitat intercultural encara que també pot contribuir al desenvolupament d’estereotips culturals. Les expectatives, la fluïdesa comunicativa, la confiança lingüística i personal, i les experiències prèvies de mobilitat semblen ser factors que afecten l'adaptació i la sensibilitat. Aquesta tesi proporciona recomanacions perquè les institucions que organitzin programes de mobilitat puguin atendre millor les necessitats dels estudiants i facilitar-los les seves transicions culturals.

Keywords

Study abroad, Stays abroad, Academic mobility, Intercultural adaptation, Intercultural sensitivity, Intercultural competence, Higher education, Estudis a l'estranger, Estades a l’estranger, Mobilitat acadèmica, Adaptació intercultural, Sensibilitat intercultural, Competència intercultural, Educació superior