THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CULTURAL INTELLIGENCE AND CROSS-CULTURAL ADAPTATION OF INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS IN TAIWAN

Cultural intelligence CQ is a new construct that was first introduced to examine the differences in how effective persons were in communicating across different cultures. Accordingly, having a high level of cultural intelligence means that individuals will be better able to extract and logically interpret information gathered from cross cultural interactions, and become more flexible in adjusting to different settings. Cultural Intelligence is unique because it focuses on the skills that are needed for success in coping in an unfamiliar culture. Therefore, knowledge of one's cultural intelligence levels aims to provide insights into one's capability to cope with multicultural situations. Thus, the main purposes of this study were firstly, to examine the cultural intelligence levels of International students in Taiwan with a view towards looking at its correlation with their cross-cultural adaptation levels. The research method used for data collection was a quantitative research survey using the 20 item Cultural Intelligence Scale and a nine (9) item cross-cultural adaptation scale. The sample comprised of 384 persons (n=384, Male=188, Female= 196). The results of this study show that cultural intelligence levels can impact cross cultural adaptation. Cultural Intelligence is a relatively new construct, therefore, a study of this nature will add significantly to the limited pool of studies on cultural intelligence. It can also assist the various institutions in Taiwan in making the transition and life of foreigners smoother. It can also help future visitors in preparation for adjusting and adapting to life in Taiwan.