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Personality changes after a 'year abroad'? A mixed-methods study

Tracy-Ventura, N. and Dewaele, Jean-Marc and Koylu, Z. and MacManus, K. (2016) Personality changes after a 'year abroad'? A mixed-methods study. Study Abroad Research in Second Language Acquisition and International Education 1 (1), pp. 107-126. ISSN 2405-5522.

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Abstract

This study utilizes a mixed-methods approach to investigate personality changes of British undergraduate students who spent their third year abroad in a French or Spanish-speaking country. Personality changes were measured quantitatively using the Multicultural Personality Questionnaire (MPQ, Van der Zee & Van Oudenhoven, 2000; 2001), administered twice: pre-departure and after returning to their home university. A reflective interview was also conducted at the end of their stay abroad and analysed qualitatively to investigate whether students noted any personality changes. The MPQ results demonstrate statistically significant changes over time on the Emotional Stability factor only. These results are supported by the reflective interviews as 77% of participants mentioned feeling more confident and independent after residence abroad. Based on these findings, residence appears to be an example of a type of social investment with the potential to positively affect the emotional stability of university students undertaking the experience as temporary sojourners.

Metadata

Item Type: Article
Keyword(s) / Subject(s): personality, Multicultural Personality Questionnaire, study abroad, mixed-methods, longitudinal study
School: Birkbeck Faculties and Schools > Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences > School of Creative Arts, Culture and Communication
Depositing User: Jean-Marc Dewaele
Date Deposited: 06 May 2016 13:40
Last Modified: 09 Aug 2023 12:38
URI: https://eprints.bbk.ac.uk/id/eprint/15071

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