“Honeymoon” acculturation orientation preferences of new international students: Influence of intercultural attitudes and intentions in an international learning environment

Research routinely suggests that international students often struggle in engaging with other student groups. This study, therefore, examines to what extent and how the intercultural attitudes and intentions of new international students in three Dutch educational institutions related to their acculturation orientation preferences (AOPs) during the “honeymoon” stage. Their AOPs were investigated across four social contact domains: living, schoolwork, friendships, and general interactions. Using structural equation modelling, results from 198 respondents indicate that intercultural intentions predicted their AOPs, with multicultural integration the most preferred strategy and marginalization the least preferred. Results of a simple mediation analysis show that intercultural intentions mediated the effect of intercultural attitudes for students adopting multicultural integration and separation strategies. Interview findings from 25 participants indicate that students sometimes adopted different orientations across the social contact domains. Internationally oriented higher education institutions should further support new students in their planning for intercultural interactions.