The literature available on study abroad addresses reasons students chose to study abroad, outcomes of participation in study abroad, and study abroad program characteristics. However, there is a lack of research linking outcomes of study abroad to program characteristics. The present study will add to the literature by providing information about study abroad program characteristics and their relationship to one possible outcome of study abroad, cross-cultural adaptability. In this study, four factors were used to measure cross-cultural adaptability: (a) emotional resilience, (b) flexibility/openness, (c) perceptual acuity, and (d) personal autonomy. Data were collected using the Cross-Cultural Adaptability Inventory (CCAI) (Kelley & Meyers, 1995). The target sample for this study was undergraduate college students that have participated in study abroad programs of varying lengths. The findings showed significant differences in all five areas: emotional resilience, flexibility/openness, perceptual acuity, personal autonomy, and total CCAI score. These findings suggest that researchers need to take a further look at study abroad program characteristics and their relationship to beneficial outcomes. / Master of Arts

In today's globalized world, effective communication and cross-cultural collaboration are essentialfor success, particularly within multicultural teams. This thesis investigates the intricate interplaybetween language proficiency, cross-cultural adaptability, and team performance in the context ofmulticultural teams. Addressing gaps in understanding how language proficiency and crossculturaladaptability impact cross-cultural communication and team performance withinmultinational corporations in Sweden, this study utilizes structured surveys distributed amongemployees in Swedish multinational corporations with at least one year of work experience. Atotal of 117 employees participated in the initial survey distribution, with 103 valid responsesincluded in the final analysis. This study’s findings shed light on the nuanced influence of language proficiency and culturaladaptability on team performance in multicultural settings. While language proficiencydemonstrates a positive correlation with team performance (β=0.247), its impact appears lesspronounced when English, as a second language, becomes the common communication ground.Conversely, cultural adaptability exhibits a strong positive correlation with team performance(β=0.663), highlighting its critical role in navigating the complexities of diverse teams. Thesefindings suggest that in multicultural environments where a shared second language is used,fostering cultural adaptability may be particularly important for maximizing team performance. This research contributes to the understanding of language proficiency and cross-culturaladaptability within multicultural teams, offering insights for optimizing team dynamics andfostering collaboration in diverse work settings. By recognizing the complexities of languageproficiency and its interaction with team dynamics, organizations can enhance their effectivenessin a globalized business environment.

This causal-comparative and correlational study examined cross-cultural adaptability of randomly selected licensed dental hygienists, 1995-2005 graduates, practicing in the state of Texas and first and second-year dental hygiene students attending 5 randomly selected accredited 2 and 4-year dental hygiene schools in the state of Texas. A sample of 289 individuals: 194 enrolled students and 95 licensed dental hygienists, alumni of the 5 schools, completed the 50-item Cross-Cultural Adaptability Inventory (CCAI ®) and a brief demographic survey. The purpose of this study was to determine if statistically significant differences existed among and between licensed dental hygienists and first and second-year dental hygiene students in the state of Texas on a cross-cultural adaptability measure. The study also examined relationships among and between cross-cultural adaptability scores, as measured by the CCAI, and several independent variables. The data were analyzed by using the Statistical Package of Social Sciences (SPSS 12). Eight hypotheses related to group differences and relationships among and between groups and variables were tested. The groups were compared on total CCAI scores using a t-test, and on subscale CCAI scores simultaneously using a descriptive discriminant analysis (DDA). A 3X2 MANOVA was used to compare all groups simultaneously on subscale CCAI scores. The sample was also analyzed for statistically significant differences among 3 levels of ethnicity and total CCAI scores using a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). Lastly, various Pearson correlation analyses were conducted to determine relationships among and between the 3 independent variables mentioned above and total and subscale CCAI scores. The results revealed no statistically significant differences among the various groups and CCAI scores. A statistically significant relationship (r = .148) was found between age and 1 of the 4 CCAI subscale scores, flexibility/openness. No other statistically significant relationships were found. The study concluded that number of years for degree, level of practice, ethnicity, and years employed may not play a significant role in enhancing cross-cultural adaptability. Further research needs to be conducted to determine differences and relationships between and among various dental hygiene groups and their cross-cultural adaptability performance.