ADJUSTMENT OF CHINESE UNIVERSITY STUDENTS IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC: THE ROLE OF CULTURAL INTELLIGENCE AND ETHNOCENTRISM

Abstract

The article deals with two factors that affect the process of cross-cultural adaptation of foreigners in the Czech Republic in opposite directions: cultural intelligence (CQ) and ethnocentrism (ETN). Three hypotheses were tested: 1) cultural intelligence and its subdimensions (metacognitive, cognitive, motivational, behavioral) are positively related to intercultural adaptation, 2) ethnocentrism affects adaptation negatively, 3) the positive relationship between CQ and adaptation is weakened by ethnocentrism. The first two hypotheses were confirmed using a PLS-SEM statistical technique on a sample of 84 Chinese students studying at several Czech universities, and the third was rejected. In addition, the latent CQ construct was validated as a hierarchical component model. Means for easier adaptation of students/workers during a long-term stay in a culturally foreign environment are briefly also discussed.