Individual and Contextual Determinants of (mal)adjustment in College Students who Study Abroad

Abstract

This study focuses on a sample of college students who study abroad and the individual and contextual factors that, interacting with each other, may affect their (mal)adjustment. Studying abroad is an immersive experience that could potentially bring great benefits for students’ careers and personal growth, but at the same time, without the right tools, can lead to the risk of students’ maladjustment. Self-efficacy in dealing with negative emotions and empathic self-efficacy were considered as individual factors, and an inclusive teaching environment was considered as the contextual factor necessary for promoting youths’ adjustment (prosocial behavior and academic performance) and for preventing maladjustment (internalizing and externalizing problems). American college students (169 mean Age = 20.59, SD = 1.59; 78% males) participated to this study. A path analysis model showed that: internalizing problems were negatively predicted by self-efficacy beliefs in dealing with negative emotions; externalizing problems were negatively predicted by self-efficacy in dealing with negative emotions; prosocial behavior was positively predicted by empathic self-efficacy, self-efficacy beliefs in dealing with negative emotions, and inclusive teaching; scholastic performance was positively predicted by inclusive teaching.