... The Impact of Resilience on Cultural Immersion During International Study Megan Bonfield & Michael Slavkin, Ph.D., LMHC College of Arts and Sciences, Marian University Indianapolis 3200 Cold Spring Rd, Indianapolis, IN 46222 ABSTRACT What influences some travelers to have powerful experiences studying abroad, while others struggle while immersing themselves in diverse cultures and communities? An examination of prior experiences and psychological dimensions of resilience were used to investigate whether some individuals traveling abroad have a greater disposition for managing stress and mood while abroad and following travel. INTRODUCTION Cultural immersion refers to the process of actively participating and engaging with another culture, allowing individuals to gain a deep understanding and appreciation of its customs, traditions, language, and overall way of life (Bennett, 1986). International travel provides unique opportunities for cultural immersion. One of the most prominent advantages is the exposure to diverse cultures, fostering a global perspective and intercultural competence. Living in a foreign country provides students with the opportunity to broaden their horizons, develop adaptability, and enhance language skills through immersive experiences. Additionally, studying abroad often leads to personal growth and increased self-confidence. Intercultural competence is about one being able to develop targeted knowledge, skills and attitudes that lead to visible behavior and communication that are both effective and appropriate in intercultural interactions (Deardoff, 2006, p. 242). Specifically, we postulated the following research question: What differences exist in levels of intercultural sensitivity for students who participate in study abroad compared to students who did not participate? MATERIALS AND METHODS 102 participants were involved in the study, and completed a survey including demographic questions, whether they had studied abroad, and if they have ever been diagnosed with a mental illness. A general measure of the impact of study abroad experiences was modified from the Wabash Study of Liberal Arts Travel Abroad Scale (Pascerella and Blaich, 2013). Participants also completed The Resilience Scale for Adults (RSA) (Friborg et al., 2003), a 37-item scale that measures resilience as healthy adaptation and personal competence during exposure to stress. Finally, the Ryff Scale of Measurement is a psychometric inventory consisting of 54 items that measures six aspects of psychological well-being (see Ryff and Keyes, 1995). FINDING 1 Results of basic analyses of variances showed no differences in professional growth from travel, openness to diversity, resiliency, or psychological well-being as a result of gender, race, ethnicity, sexual identity, or age. Level of language ability also did not show any impact on differences in dependent variables; however, individuals who showed expertise in language ability during their travel abroad did feel that their travel abroad was more impactful than those with limited language ability (F (4, 82) = 2.51, df = 0.05). Level of education did show significant differences in professional growth following travel, with individuals with higher levels of education (e.g., graduate work) showing higher growth than those with just undergraduate degrees (F (3, 87) = 2.81, df = 0.01). FINDING 2 Levels of resiliency were impacted by the psychological well-being of students (F (1,40) = 8.20, df = 0.001), but not professional growth or openness to diversity. Individuals who self-identified as having an anxiety disorder were less likely to demonstrate high resiliency as a result of travel abroad. Individuals who identified as being depressed, having an eating disorder, or an attention deficit did not show any changes in resiliency. It would appear that resiliency is mostly impacted by those who identify as being anxious or having some past trauma that impacts their ability to cope under novel and unique situations when traveling abroad. Figure 1. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA):The Impact of Psyc hological Well Being on Levels of Resiliency Post Travel Abroad Experience. FINDING 3 A significant finding was that participants openness to diversity significantly impacted several reviewed factors. Specifically, students who showed high levels of openness to diversity were more likely to show high levels of resiliency (F (18, 69) = 3.88, df = 0.001). Further, individuals reported that travel abroad was more impactful if they had higher levels of openness to diversity (F (18, 67) = 3.67, df = 0.001). Figure 2. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA): Impact of Openness to Diversity on Resiliency and Travel Abroad Experiences. CONCLUSIONS Participants: Total: 102 Experimental Group: 17 males, 84 females Demographics: Caucasian: 76% African American: 9% Asian-American: 2% Multiracial: 6% Hispanic: 9% Sexual Identity: Heterosexual: 87% Age Average: Early 20s (22 years old) Previous Mental Illness: Diagnosed: 50% Depression/Mood disorders: 22% Anxiety disorders: 14% Attention deficit disorder: 7% Eating disorder or sleep disorder: 3% Travel Experience: Abroad: 70% Undergraduate travel: 32% Once: 25% Twice: 15% Three or more times: 33% Native language country: 15% Language course: 25% Limited/no language ability: 50% Impact of Variables: Gender, race, ethnicity, sexual identity, age: No significant differences Language ability: Limited impact, except for those with expertise feeling more impactful travel Education level: Higher education associated with higher professional growth Resiliency: Affected by psychological well-being, particularly anxiety disorders Openness to diversity: Positively correlated with resiliency and perceived impact of travel abroad LITERATURE CITED Bennett, M.J. 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Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 69(4), 719727. Smith, B. A. (2018). The significance of cultural immersion in international travel. Journal of Global Tourism Studies, 5(3), 132-149. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Special thanks to Dr. Slavkin in guiding me in this research study and special thanks to all those who participated ...