Date

9-17-2026

Department

School of Behavioral Sciences

Degree

Master of Science in Psychology (MS)

Chair

Kathleen S. Andrews

Keywords

cultural intelligence, religiosity, cross-cultural adjustment, faith-driven expatriates, Thailand, CQ, CQS, CRS, EAS

Disciplines

Psychology

Abstract

This quantitative correlational study examined the relationships among cultural intelligence, religiosity, and cross-cultural adjustment among adult faith-driven expatriates living and working in Thailand. Data were collected through an anonymous online survey using three established instruments: the Cultural Intelligence Scale, the Centrality of Religiosity Scale, and the Expatriate Adjustment Scale. The final analytic sample included 85 usable responses. Analyses included data screening, descriptive statistics, assumption testing, and multiple regression models. The results indicated that the four dimensions of cultural intelligence collectively predicted overall cross-cultural adjustment. However, motivational cultural intelligence was the only statistically significant individual predictor. Religiosity did not significantly predict overall cross-cultural adjustment or overall cultural intelligence. These findings suggest that cultural intelligence, particularly the motivation and confidence to engage across cultural differences, may be especially important for expatriate adjustment in Thailand. The nonsignificant findings involving religiosity suggest that faith-driven identity and global religiosity may be related but distinct constructs and that religiosity may influence expatriate experience through indirect mechanisms not tested in this study. The findings provide implications for expatriate preparation, faith-driven expatriate support, cultural intelligence training, and future research on faith-related mechanisms in cross-cultural adjustment.

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