Reflections on the Development of Intercultural Competence: A Mixed Methods Study with Undergraduate Seniors at the University of California, Santa Cruz

Abstract

This mixed-methods study sampled students in the transitional and intercultural orientation stages of the Intercultural Development Continuum, using the Intercultural Development Inventory, and then sought to understand each participant’s self-analysis of what intercultural competence development meant to them and what contributed most to their intercultural development. Student participants in this study acknowledged the importance to their intercultural development of the following university experiences and practices: curriculum, programs and organizations, living and learning communities, and leadership development programs. They highlighted the importance of intense shared experiences including high-impact educational practices such as short-term study abroad programs, field work, and internships. Students also credited mentorship and naturalistic engagement with others from different cultural backgrounds, both in childhood and within university life. Several students also discussed how their identity as part of a minoritized group within their community helped them to empathize with other minoritized individuals and reflect on intercultural learning more broadly. Those who scored in Acceptance and Adaptation had intense interpersonal experiences that forced them to engage and reflect in certain ways—even if they were uncomfortable. These experiences, however, were supported by mentors and guided reflection activities that allowed for students to sit with and learn from their discomfort. The lived experiences of students in this study demonstrate that students who scored further along the developmental continuum were characterized by their repeated seeking out challenging intercultural experiences, and a desire to engage with intercultural learning and growth. For students positioned further on the Intercultural Development Continuum, intercultural engagement was both challenging and fulfilling. The discovery of high-impact, high-intensity intercultural practices at home is important to intercultural development, as reported by students who score in transitional or intercultural positions on the Intercultural Development Continuum. Findings from this study may encourage educators to develop and encourage participation in these types of practices on and near U.S. campuses. These local high-impact, high-intensity program opportunities may broaden the availability of intercultural learning opportunities for all students, not just those who can afford to study, research, or intern abroad. These programs, however, appear to be most effective when they are interpersonally intense and provide support and mentoring for students.