Moving abroad to study is often described as exciting, but for many international students it is also emotionally demanding. Everyday tasks such as communicating in class, forming friendships, and adjusting to local expectations can affect mental health, academic success, and long term well-being. New research comparing students in Thailand and New Zealand suggests that personality traits play a meaningful role in how smoothly students adapt to different cultural settings. The findings were published in the Asian Journal of Arts and Culture.
The study examined 400 international students enrolled at universities in Bangkok and Christchurch, focusing on how the Big Five personality traits relate to sociocultural adaptation. Sociocultural adaptation refers to how well people manage daily life in a new culture, including communication, academic performance, social activities, adjustment to the environment, and language use. These factors are closely linked to stress, anxiety, and overall psychological health among students studying abroad.
Students in New Zealand generally reported higher levels of sociocultural adaptation than those in Thailand, particularly in communication, academic performance, environmental adjustment, and language proficiency. This may reflect the demands of studying in an English speaking, individualistic society where students are expected to speak up, question teachers, and work independently. Such environments can push students to adapt quickly, even when the transition is challenging.
In contrast, students in Thailand showed stronger adaptation in personal interests, such as participation in social or community activities. Thailand’s collectivist culture places greater emphasis on harmony, group belonging, and social cohesion. For many international students, particularly those from other Asian countries, this cultural closeness may reduce everyday friction and make social engagement feel more natural, even if academic and language demands differ.
Personality differences also emerged between the two groups. Students studying in New Zealand scored higher on extraversion and openness to experience, traits associated with sociability, curiosity, and willingness to explore new ideas. These characteristics may support adjustment in cultures that value direct communication and independent learning. Students in Thailand scored relatively higher on agreeableness and emotional stability, traits linked to cooperation, tolerance, and maintaining harmony in social relationships.
The relationship between personality traits and adaptation was not identical across settings. In Thailand, extraversion and openness to experience were linked to better sociocultural adaptation, suggesting that being socially engaged and flexible helps students navigate a high context, relationship focused culture. In New Zealand, no single personality trait showed a strong direct link to adaptation, possibly because students are required to adjust regardless of personal disposition due to the structure of the academic and social environment.
These findings highlight that successful adjustment is shaped by both individual personality and the cultural context students enter. They also underline why international education policies often struggle with a one size fits all approach. Orientation programmes, mental health support, and academic preparation may be more effective when they consider cultural distance and personality differences rather than assuming all students face the same challenges.
As global student mobility continues to grow, understanding how personality interacts with culture could help universities better support international students, reduce stress, and improve educational outcomes across borders.