Impact of Psychological Capital on Academic Adjustment Among International Students From Gulf Corporation Council Countries

Abstract

The experience of international students adjusting to academic life in foreign countries has been widely discussed in Western countries. However, there is a dearth of empirical research that investigates the impact of psychological factors like psychological capital including efficiency, hope, reliance, and optimism, on the academic adjustment of international students in the Gulf Corporation Council (GCC) countries. This study addresses this research gap to examine the issue of academic adjustment in the GCC countries with modesty, yet significant results. Additionally, the study is unique in its exploration of the moderating effect of psychological capital on academic adjustment through the creation of an interaction term. A cross-sectional survey was administered to 303 international students from six countries, and the study employed multinomial logistic regression and marginal effects analyses. The findings indicate a statistically significant positive impact of psychological factors on the academic adjustment of international students in the GCC countries. Moreover, the coefficients of the interaction terms suggest that the impact of psychological capital on academic adjustment is language dependent. This paper provides valuable insights for policymakers, educational ministries of the GCC, and scholars researching international student adjustment.