The HEXACO personality traits, cultural intelligence, and international student adjustment

Cross-cultural adjustment is a challenge faced by sojourner groups around the world. Although associations between the Big Five personality traits and cross-cultural adjustment are well established, less is known about the six-factor HEXACO model of personality and adjustment. Moreover, recent research has considered whether individual differences in cultural intelligence (CQ) might supplant personality traits for predicting adjustment. The present study examined the HEXACO personality traits and four facets of CQ as predictors of cross-cultural adjustment for a sample of 355 international students attending university in the United States. A series of hierarchical regression analyses revealed that several facets of CQ predicted incremental variance in students' cross-cultural adjustment over and above the HEXACO traits across all dimensions of adjustment. Conversely, several HEXACO traits predicted incremental variance in students' interaction and school-related adjustment over and above CQ. Cognitive CQ and motivational CQ demonstrated consistent criterion-related validities for predicting all facets of adjustment. Additionally, Extraversion was related to interaction adjustment, and Conscientiousness was related to school-related adjustment over and above students' standing on the facets of CQ. Rather than considering cultural intelligence and personality traits as in conflict, researchers should consider these characteristics as complementary yet distinct predictors of cross-cultural adjustment. •HEXACO traits and cultural intelligence predict international student adjustment.•Facets of cultural intelligence predict all dimensions of adjustment.•Extraversion predicts international students' interaction adjustment.•Conscientiousness predicts international students' school-related adjustment.