Cultural Intelligence and Cross-Cultural Adjustment: A Predictive Study of K-12 International School Principal Longevity

 Link: https://www.proquest.com/dissertations-theses/cultural-intelligence-cross-adjustment-predictive/docview/3053900002/se-2

 

Author: Lorraine Hoffmeyer-Hirakawa

Degree: Doctor of Education

Institution: Northwest Nazarene University

Year: May 2024

Analyze and present by: Punnarat Chinnapha, Ph.D.

Student ID: 244511003

Abstract

This study investigates the predictive relationship between cultural intelligence (CQ) and cross-cultural adjustment (CCA) in determining the retention and effectiveness of K-12 international school principals. Principal turnover, a pervasive issue in international education, disrupts school stability and student achievement, underscoring the need to identify factors that enhance leadership longevity. Through a quantitative research design, 30 principals completed surveys measuring CQ across four dimensions (metacognitive, cognitive, motivational, behavioral), alongside job satisfaction and CCA indicators. Statistical analysis revealed that higher CQ is strongly correlated with improved cultural adjustment, greater job satisfaction, and extended tenure. These findings highlight the significance of CQ in addressing leadership challenges in culturally diverse educational environments. The study recommends integrating CQ-focused strategies in recruitment, professional development, and support programs to promote principal retention and strengthen organizational stability in international schools.

 

Research Objectives & Questions

The dissertation seeks to:

1. Investigate how cultural intelligence influences international school principals’ job satisfaction.

RQ 1: Is there a significant relationship between cultural intelligence and an international school principal’s job satisfaction?

2. Examine the relationship between CQ and cross-cultural adjustment (CCA).

RQ 2: Is there a significant relationship between an international school principal’s cultural intelligence and their ability to experience successful cross-cultural adjustment?

3. Analyze whether CQ predicts longevity in leadership positions at international schools.

RQ 3: Is there a significant relationship between cultural intelligence and an international school principal’s length of service in a leadership position?

These objectives align with the pressing need to address principal turnover in international schools, where leadership instability has detrimental impacts on school culture and student success.

 

Research Scope & Design

This study focuses on the relationship between cultural intelligence (CQ) and cross-cultural adjustment (CCA) as predictors of job satisfaction, effectiveness, and longevity among K-12 international school principals. It encompasses the following dimensions:

Target Population & Sampling:
The population of this study are international school leaders of K-12 international schools who operate in culturally diverse environments worldwide. The 30 school principals selected for this quantitative study needed to meet three criteria: (1) currently working in a leadership position outside their home country; (2) have experience working in culturally diverse environments; and (3) consent to participate in the study. While this size provides meaningful insights into the population, it reflects the study’s exploratory nature and limited scope.

Sampling technique consists of a combination of convenience sampling and snowball sampling. Convenience sampling: participants were recruited through postings on professional networks, such as the Council of International Schools (CIS) LinkedIn page and international school leaders’ Facebook groups. Snowball sampling: existing participants referred to other international school principals within their networks to participate. The selected sampling method allowed access to a highly specialized population with logistical constraints, leveraging professional networks and referrals to ensure sufficient participant representation.

Thus, an online survey was distributed using Qualtrics to ensure accessibility for participants across various geographic locations. Responses were anonymized, and participants were assigned confidential codes to maintain privacy.

 

Variables & Instruments

·       Independent Variable: Cultural intelligence (CQ), measured across four dimensions: metacognitive, cognitive, motivational, and behavioral.

·       Dependent Variables: Job satisfaction, cross-cultural adjustment (CCA), and principal longevity.

Instruments
The study utilized established, validated instruments to ensure reliability and validity:

·       Cultural Intelligence Survey (CQS):

-     A 20-item questionnaire measuring CQ dimensions.

-     Includes subscales for metacognitive CQ (4 items), cognitive CQ (6 items), motivational CQ (5 items), and behavioral CQ (5 items).

-     7-point Likert scale (1 = strongly disagree; 7 = strongly agree).

·       Cross-Cultural Adjustment Scales (CCA):

-     Adapted Brief Acculturation Scale (BAS) for sociocultural adaptation (8 items).

-     7-point Likert scale (1 = extremely difficult; 7 = extremely easy).

-     Brief Psychological Adaptation Scale (BPAS) for psychological adjustment (9 items).

-     7-point Likert scale (1 = always; 7 = never).

-     Some questions were reverse-coded because the questions measured negative feelings.

·       Job Satisfaction Measure:

-     Two survey items assessing overall job satisfaction.

·       Demographic: Nine demographic questions to collect data about the length of service, gender, age, and international experience.

Validity and Reliability

Content Validity: five-person panel of international school leaders previewed questions and provided feedback to assure content validity about the combined instrument and relevance of the questions. Content validity (CVI) was calculated for each item. Questions scoring (CVI > .85) were retained. Only one question from the BAS was eliminated.

Pilot Study: The 47-question survey was piloted by 21 international school leaders working in Kuwait. The internal consistency of the pilot instrument was assessed.

CQS had a Cronbach’s alpha level of a = .754, which is a good level for proceeding with the study. However, the researcher removed one item from the CQS which raised  a = .802.

BAS had a good internal consistency level, a = .814.

BPAS had a Cronbach’s alpha level of a = .690, a poor internal consistency score. Again, the researcher removed one item and raised a = .797, a more acceptable score.

 

Statistical Methods (Final Survey)

Descriptive Statistic

Thirty international school leaders responded to the survey. Respondents were 63% male and 37% female. The tables below show example descriptive data of the participants.

 

Cronbach’s alpha (Final Survey)

CQS had a Cronbach’s alpha level of a = .876, a good internal consistency score.

BAS had a Cronbach alpha level of a = .827, a good internal consistency score.

BPAS had a Cronbach alpha level of a = .678, a poor internal consistency score. One item was removed and raised Cronbach’s alpha of a =.710, a more acceptable score.

 

Normal Distribution

Shapiro-Wilk’s test (p > .05) was used to assess the normality of participant data.

 

However, when the researcher treated CQ as a single variable, the normality of the data Shapiro-Wilks test (p > .05) did not violate normality as seen below.

 

 

The Shapiro-Wilks test (p > .05) for all cross-cultural adjustment factors and total cross-cultural adjustment (CCA) data met the normality assumption. Hence, all p > .05.

 

Principal Component Analysis (PCA) or Exploratory Factor Analysis

The researcher used principal component analysis to reduce the data to a more manageable size while retaining essential information. She extracted components with the highest eigenvalues during this process, explaining the most significant variance percentage (Field, 2018). Thus, the researcher utilized PCA on CQ and CCA before correlating the two variables to job satisfaction and principal longevity.

The Direct Oblimin rotation was used to adjust the factor loadings to simplify the structure by maximizing the loading of variables on specific components while minimizing cross-loadings. According to the researcher, the retained component had several significant factors, loading greater than .6 and thus, questions within component one were combined to create the CQ analysis score for participants moving forward in answering the research questions.

The PCA procedure for examining components of cross-cultural adjustment (CCA) was the same as the process for cultural intelligence (CQ) and can seen below.

 

Pearson’s Correlation Analysis

To provide answers to RQ1, the researcher utilized Pearson’s correlation analysis to examine the relationship between job satisfaction and cultural intelligence.

According to the researcher, there was a slight positive correlation for those school leaders who have served between 4-10 years and suggested to partially reject the null hypothesis H1, there is no significant relationship between cultural intelligence and job satisfaction for principals in international schools.

For RQ2, Pearson’s correlation analysis examined the significant relationship between an international school principal’s cultural intelligence and their ability to successfully adjust cross-culturally.

The data above shows, and suggested by the researcher, there was moderately positive correlations between participant CQ and their ability to acculturate (r =.39) and psychologically adapt (r = .30) to their new country of work for those participants within their first three years. But time changed, as data indicates that participants who have worked between 4-7 years show a negative correlation between both factors of cross-cultural adjustment.

Independent Samples t-test

For RQ3, Independent Samples t-test was applied to examine a significant relationship between cultural intelligence and an international school principal’s longevity in an international school leadership position.

The data above suggested that one can accept the null hypothesis H3: there is no significant relationship between cultural intelligence and international school principals' service length.

 

Strength

·       Well-Defined Theoretical Framework:

-     The dissertation provides a solid theoretical framework for Cultural Intelligence (CQ), explaining its four key dimensions (metacognitive, cognitive, motivational, and behavioral). It thoroughly discusses how CQ might influence leadership in international settings, drawing on a range of literature to support this theoretical foundation.

·       Quantitative Research Design:

-     The use of quantitative methods, specifically a survey, is appropriate for addressing the research questions.

-     The use of validated scales like the Cultural Intelligence Survey (CQS) and the Brief Psychological Adaptation Scale (BPAS) ensures that the measurements used in the study are reliable and established.

·       Use of Principal Component Analysis (PCA):

-     PCA is a strength because it reduces the complexity of the data, helping to identify key underlying factors in Cultural Intelligence and Cross-Cultural Adjustment. This adds rigor to the analysis by isolating the most influential components and improving the clarity of the findings.

-     The use of PCA enhances the interpretation of the data and strengthens the study's statistical foundation.

 

Weakness

·       Small Sample Size:

-     The study relies on a small sample size of 30 principals from international schools. While this sample provides useful insights, it limits the generalizability of the findings. A larger sample would increase the reliability and statistical power of the analysis, making the conclusions more robust.

·       Data Analysis:

-     While Pearson's correlation and t-tests are appropriate for testing relationships, the study could benefit from more advanced statistical methods like regression analysis to control for potential confounding variables such as school size, location, and available resources.

-     The dissertation could further elaborate on the limitations of the statistical analysis, particularly given the small sample size, and how this might affect the interpretation of the results.

·       Discussion of Findings:

-     The findings are presented clearly, but the discussion could go deeper into how contextual factors, such as school culture or institutional policies, influence the relationship between CQ and principal retention. This would provide a more nuanced understanding of the results.

-     The study mentions job satisfaction but could explore other factors like workload or professional development in greater detail, offering a more comprehensive analysis of principal retention.

-     Data interpretation may be biased by the researcher.

 

Conclusion

The dissertation provides a solid contribution to understanding the relationship between Cultural Intelligence (CQ) and the longevity of international school principals. The study is well-structured, with a strong theoretical framework and quantitative methodology. However, the small sample size, limited scope, and lack of diversity in the sample are significant weaknesses. Addressing these limitations in future research could improve the generalizability and depth of the findings. Additionally, while PCA is a strength, the study could further explore the implications of its findings, particularly in relation to school leadership practices.