A systematic review of personal and situational factors associated with intercultural adaptation of international students: Unravelling the resources and demands

Abstract

The rapid increase in international student mobility has led to a growing body of empirical research examining the factors affecting the students’ intercultural adaptation processes and outcomes. This highlights the need for a systematic analysis to understand and organize these factors comprehensively. Previous reviews in this area have primarily focused on studies conducted in specific regions, such as the US, China, and Australia. In contrast, this review analyzed 48 quantitative studies published between 2010 and 2024 across 25 countries, involving 17,774 participants. The analysis reveals a sharp increase in publications, particularly since 2018, with the International Journal of Intercultural Relations emerging as the leading outlet for research in this field. Building on Job Demands-Resources theory, the review identifies five key clusters of factors influencing intercultural adaptation: personal resources, situational resources, personal demands, situational demands, and demographic factors. The findings of the review reveal that personal resources (e.g., emotional intelligence, cultural intelligence, psychological capital, self-determination, multicultural personality, personal growth initiatives, academic self-efficacy) and situational resources (e.g., social support, social connectedness, attachment, social media use) play a critical role in facilitating adaptation. Conversely, personal demands (e.g., acculturative stress, academic strain, intergroup anxiety) and situational demands (e.g., perceived discrimination, cultural distance, sociocultural difficulties) negatively impact adaptation outcomes. Demographic factors (e.g., gender, age, and educational level) are also associated with adaptation, though the results remain inconsistent. The review also addresses the quality assessment of methods, research gaps, limitations, and implications, emphasizing the importance of these findings in understanding the intercultural adaptation of international students.