Examining the Relationship between Cultural Intelligence and the Academic Performance of International Students: A Structural Equation Modeling Analysis

Volume 5, Issue 1, February 2021     |     PP. 25-52      |     PDF (391 K)    |     Pub. Date: March 31, 2021
DOI: 10.54647/sociology84488    118 Downloads     6053 Views  

Author(s)

Yurou Wang, Department of Educational Studies in Psychology, Research Methodology, and Counseling, University of Alabama, USA
Jihong Zhang, Department of Psychological and Quantitative Foundations, University of Iowa, USA

Abstract
Driven by globalization, cultural intelligence (CQ) has become a critical element for human communication. The increasing international student population also calls for an in-depth understanding of CQ, which incorporates metacognitive, cognitive, motivational, and behavioral dimensions that could promote international learning and working performance. This study evaluates the relationship between Cultural Intelligence and international students’ academic achievement. Our sample included 452 American students who studied abroad were recruited via Amazon Mechanical Turk. Findings provide partial support for the relationship between CQS factors and participants’ self-reported grade point average (GPA). Specifically, students’ motivational (β = .188, p < .01) and behavioral (β = .126, p < .05) CQ scores were found to be significantly correlated with GPA. Such results demonstrate the need for CQ training for students who will study abroad. Further research is needed regarding using CQ to promote students’ GPAs and how CQ could change over time.

Keywords
cultural intelligence; academic achievement; GPA; international student; structural equation modeling

Cite this paper
Yurou Wang, Jihong Zhang, Examining the Relationship between Cultural Intelligence and the Academic Performance of International Students: A Structural Equation Modeling Analysis , SCIREA Journal of Sociology. Volume 5, Issue 1, February 2021 | PP. 25-52. 10.54647/sociology84488

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