Cultural Adaptation: A Mediator between Cultural Intelligence and Academic Performance in a Thai Context

Seminal research on cultural intelligence is ubiquitous at an organizational level, albeit research at an educational level, especially in a Thai context is scant. Using a quota sample of 426 students, this quantitative paper gathered data from three subgroups in Bangkok: Thai, Chinese and ASEAN from two educational settings. Cultural Intelligence was measured using the “Four Factor Cultural Intelligence” Scale (CQS) of Ang et al., (2007), constituting 20 items, answered on a 7-point Likert-type scale. To measure sociocultural adjustment, the Sociocultural Adaptation Scale (SCAS-R), of Wilson (2013), constituting 21 items, answered on a 5-point Likert-type scale was used. Psychological adjustment was measured using the Psychological Adjustment Scale of Demes and Geeraert (2013), constituting 10 items, answered on a 7-point Likert-type scale. The relationship between the four dimensions of cultural intelligence to academic performance and the relationship of sociocultural adaptation and psychological adjustment as mediators between cultural intelligence and academic performance was hypothesized. Results of Structural Equation Modeling did not support the prediction of the relationship between the four dimensions of cultural intelligence and academic performance of students. The modification indices of the AMOS program testing the relationship between socio-cultural adaptation and psychological adjustment and academic achievement manifested an indirect relationship of the cultural intelligence on the academic achievement via socio-cultural adaptation. Students, who are coached prior to actual immersion in a culture chosen to complete their studies, could alleviate culture shock, adapt better to the new abode and score better grades.