The Relationships Between Cultural Intelligence,Social Support,and Life Satisfaction Among South Korean Students In China

As the pace of globalization has increased over the past decade,the number of international schools in China's "first-tier" cities has grown rapidly.During the same period,“cultural intelligence" has emerged as a popular concept in professional circles and existing research proves that cultural intelligence can predict intercultural adaptability.Cultural intelligence as a concept stems from culturally diverse,multinational work environments.Related theories and practical applications,thus,emphasize how to select and train employees of multinational companies possessing high cultural intelligence.Many in education,including parents,are now beginning to pay attention to the cultivation of cultural intelligence in children,and various educational institutions are incorporating the concept into Global IQ curriculumThe purpose of this study is to expand the target age group of existing Chinese research on cultural intelligence,fill the gap in existing research on the cultural intelligence in South Korean middle school students,and provide a reference for improving support services for South Korean middle school students living and studying in China.This study further provides international scholars with relevant data on the cultural intelligence,social support,and life satisfaction among South Korean middle school students in ChinaGoal:To(1)observe the overall state of and demographic variance among cultural intelligence,social support,and life satisfaction in South Korean middle school students living in China;and to(2)investigate the relationship between cultural intelligence,social support,and life satisfaction among South Korean middle school students living in China in order to provide new perspectives and empirical data toward improving the cultural adaptability and life satisfaction of this cohortMethods:To do this,a preliminary self-report survey was first distributed to South Korean students at a middle school using an international curriculum(i.e.,an international school)in Shenzhen,Guangdong.The preliminary survey,which was translated into Korean,was composed of a cultural-intelligence scale,a social-support scale,and a life-satisfaction scale.The results of the preliminary survey were subjected to Exploratory Factor Analysis and Reliability and Validity analyses and exploratory factors analysis.The preliminary survey was then revised and tested until its reliability met the standards of psychological research.Next,between January and April 2018,the revised survey was formally distributed to South Korean students at two international schools in Guangdong,one Korean school in Qingdao,and one Korean school in Dalian.In total,389 South Korean middle school students responded to each of the three scales in the revised survey.Results:(1)Among South Korean middle school students living in China,cultural intelligence averages 4.55 out seven;social support averages 4.22 out of six;and life satisfaction averages 5.27 out of seven.(2)Among South Korean middle school students,sex did not significantly affect cultural intelligence(F(1,384)=1.358,p=0.245);length of time in China(interval 1 vs.interval 2)did show statistically significant influence(F(4,378)=3.445,p=0.009(p<0.01);grade level(7th grade vs.11th and 12th grade)did show statistically significant influence(F(5,380)=9.179,p=0.000(p<0.01));and parent's level of education did not show statistically significant influence(F(3382)=1531,p=0.20).(3)Social support among South Korean middle school students in China was significantly affected by parents' length of time in China(F(4.378)=5.801,p=0.000(P<0.01);and certain subscales of social support were significantly affected by sex,grade,students' length of time in China,and parents' length of time in China.(4)Life satisfaction among South Korean middle school students in China was not significantly affected by sex(F(1,384)=1.106,p=0.294);length of time in China(interval 2 vs.intervals 3,4,and 5)did show statistically significance influence;and certain grade levels did show statistically significant differences.(5)Among South Korean middle school students in China,the relationship between cultural intelligence and social support showed a statistically significant positive correlation(Pearson's r=0.243(p<0.01));the relationship between social support and life satisfaction showed a statistically significant positive correlation(Pearson's r=0.512(p<0.01));and the relationship between cultural intelligence and life satisfaction showed a statistically significant positive correlation(Pearson's r=0.290(p<0.01)).(6)Social support significantly predicts life satisfaction among South Korean middle school students in China(Beta Coefficient=0.470);and cultural intelligence significantly predicts life satisfaction(Beta Coefficient=0.176).(7)Cultural intelligence and social support,together,have mediator effects life satisfaction;and cultural intelligence has a moderator effect on social support and life satisfaction.Conclusions:(1)South Korean middle school students living in China possess mid-to-high levels of cultural intelligence,social support,and life satisfaction.(2)Among South Korean middle school students,sex did not significantly affect cultural intelligence.However,motivational cultural intelligence among males was significantly higher than females;parents' length of time in China did not show statistically significant influence;and among certain grades and intervals for students' length of time in China and parents' length of time in China,there statistically significant differences were found.(3)Among South Korean middle school students,parents'length of time in China did significantly affect social support;and sex,grade level,students'length of time in China did significantly affect social support within some subscales.(4)Among South Korean middle school students,sex did not significantly affect life satisfaction,but certain intervals for students' length of time in China and certain grade levels did show significantly influence.(5)Cultural intelligence,social support,and life satisfaction were found to be interrelated to each other among South Korean middle school students in China.(6)Improving cultural intelligence among South Korean middle school students in China has clear positive impacts on their social support and life satisfaction.Social support and cultural intelligence both have clear positive influence on South Korean middle school students'adaptation to life in China and life satisfaction.Moreover,social support can influence the development of cultural intelligence and vice versa,thereby facilitating a higher degree of life satisfaction.