Impact of Study Abroad on Latino/a College Students' Ethnic Identity and Cross-Cultural Adaptability

Abstract

Latino/a youths living on the U.S. - México border encounter both challenges and opportunities, growing up with the values, traditions, and customs of two cultures. Many of these youths have lived all of their lives in a predominantly Mexican American community and have not actively explored what their ethnicity means to them. This study explores the impact of study abroad on Latino college students’ ethnic identity and crosscultural adaptability. Eleven participants wrote in daily journals and completed pre- and post-assessment surveys. At the end of the four week study abroad program, there was no significant change in strength of ethnic identity. However, students reported having a deeper understanding of the meaning of their ethnic identity, and their ethnic/cultural identities were more complex and differentiated. While overall cross-cultural adaptability did not change, study abroad contributed to increasing emotional resilience, which benefits students in everyday cross-cultural exchanges. Suggestions for future research and programs are discussed.