Personality and cross-cultural adjustment: The moderating role of cross-cultural motivation in Chinese students' adjustment to life in Russia

This study explores the moderating role of cross-cultural motivation in the relationship between personality traits and adjustment outcomes among Chinese students in Russia. As internationalization fosters global cooperation, understanding the factors that aid students' cross-cultural and psychological adaptation is critical. The research involved 538 Chinese students with a median age of 23.0 years (IQR: 21.0–25.0) (38.5 % male) from four Moscow universities. Emotional stability (Goldberg's IPIP-50), sense of coherence (Antonovsky's scale), and cross-cultural motivation (Ang and Van Dyne's CQ scales) were examined as predictors of cross-cultural adjustment (Black and Stephens' scale) and educational satisfaction (modified Hackman and Oldham scale). Results showed that cross-cultural motivation moderated the relationship between emotional stability and cross-cultural adjustment (β = −.122, p < .01). Higher motivation weakened the positive link between emotional stability and cross-cultural adjustment, benefiting students with lower emotional stability. Additionally, cross-cultural motivation was a strong independent predictor of adjustment outcomes (β =.429, p < .001 for cross-cultural adjustment; β =.171, p < .001 for educational satisfaction). These findings highlight the importance of cross-cultural motivation for the broader student population, not just those with low personality predispositions, and offer practical insights for improving international students' experiences. This research also contributes to the expansion of the integrative communication theory of cross-cultural adaptation. • Cross-cultural motivation influences student cross-cultural adjustment more than personality traits • Cross-cultural motivation acts as a catalyst in adaptation, doubling the effect of personality • Study expands Y. Kim's integrative theory of communication and cross-cultural adaptation through the cross-cultural motivation's role in student cross-cultural adjustment