MIDA Revisited: Does the Multidimensional Individual Difference Acculturation Model Hold in Short-Term Acculturation Contexts?

Psychophysical distress and inand out-group contact have been found to be crucial for successful acculturation. Core determinants of these variables are daily hassles, psychological well-being, cultural competence and ethnic identity as well as support by members of the inand out-group. Previous research examining the effects of these constructs within the multidimensional individual difference acculturation (MIDA) model focused on long-term acculturation processes of immigrants. Extending previous research this study examines whether the MIDA model factors are also essential for a successful short-term acculturation process. The aim of this study was to test the proposed MIDA model in a temporary shortterm acculturation process as experienced by exchange students (N = 316). Results of pathanalyses indicate that especially high cultural competence and out-group support led to more out-group contact, whereas strong ethnic identity and in-group support led to more in-group contact. Furthermore, people experiencing only a small amount of hassles and a large degree of psychological well-being as well as support by the out-group showed less psychophysical distress. In conclusion, implications for research and practice of study abroad programs are discussed. Short-term acculturation process of exchange students 3 In recent history, cross-cultural migration considerably gained prevalence, especially in the student context as many students nowadays spent some abroad as exchange students. This development makes it necessary to take a closer look at the process of adjustment to a new culture and to identify the diverse factors connected to successful psychological adjustment. Studies showed, that a wide range of factors is related to the acculturation process (e.g., Walker, Wingate, Oabsi, & Joiner, 2008). Wadsworth, Hecht, and Jung (2008) found that with international students acculturation is positively related to educational satisfaction. Moreover, students’ cross-cultural skills and global understanding seem to be enhanced by study-abroad programs. The development of these skills can be predicted by students’ plans to study abroad (e.g., Kitsantas, 2004). Kagan and Cohen (1990) found, that employment level, language spoken at home and having both, foreign and native friends, influences cultural adjustment. Interestingly, for individuals whose socialization is not yet completed, such as younger sojourners, acculturation-related changes to their lives are more evident (e.g., Ward, Bochner, & Furnham, 2001). But what are the factors constituting a successful acculturation? The multidimensional individual difference acculturation (MIDA) model, tested and validated with three samples of Iranian immigrants (Safdar & Lay, 2003), seems most adequate for identifying acculturation factors. The model includes three predictor variables (psychosocial resources, co-national connectedness, and hassles), predicting three outcome adaptation variables (in-group contact, out-group contact, and psychophysical distress). The model is based on a more general idea of acculturation attitude and not on the differentiated model of Berry (1994) and includes two dimensions of acculturation attitudes, separation and assimilation as mediators in the model. Safdar, Struthers, and van Oudenhoven’s (2009) found a positive relation between psychosocial resources and out-group contact and a negative relation between psychosocial resources and psychophysical distress. They found anticipated positive relations between coShort-term acculturation process of exchange students 4 national connectedness and in-group contact and between perception of hassles and psychophysical distress. Some of these factors were recently examined as antecedents of sociocultural adaptation in an exchange student context by Brisset, Safdar, Lewis, and Sabatier (2010). The authors found psychological distress as well as identification with hostand co-nationals to be drivers of a successful adaptation. It is the aim of this study to extend previous research and to conduct an overall examination of the relations stated in the MIDA model in a short-term acculturation context. Taking the MIDA model into account, we assume that these variables are not only important to predict immigrants’ acculturation processes but can also be transferred into other acculturation areas, which are based on a temporary short-term acculturation process, as experienced by expatriates or exchange students. Therefore the aim of this study was to test the entire multivariate model and the relations assumed by Safdar, et al. (2009) with an exchange student sample. Thus, we state that the constructs promoted in the MIDA model and their relations will be relevant in short-term acculturation processes as experienced by exchange students. At this students with more psychosocial resources (i.e., cultural competence, support from out-group members, psychological well-being) are (a) more likely to maintain contact with the larger society (out-group contact), and are (b) more likely to report less psychophysical distress than those with fewer cultural competences. Students with high co-national connectedness (i.e., ethnic identity, support from in-group members) in contrast are more likely to maintain contact with their ethnic community (in-group contact). The relation between psychosocial resources and co-national connectedness with out-group and in-group contact will be mediated by acculturation attitudes. Furthermore, students who perceive low levels of hassles are anticipated to experience less psychophysical distress.