The relationship between cross-cultural adjustment and the personality variables of self-efficacy and self-monitoring

A primary determinant of expatriates' effectiveness is how well they adjust their behavior to function appropriately within a host culture. Because research suggests that the adjustment process may be highly related to certain personality variables, this survey of 99 American expatriates in Europe focused on two such variables—self-efficacy and self-monitoring—both of which have received increasing attention in the domestic literature, but have not been investigated empirically in the international research on the multifacets of cultural adjustment. Results of the study indicated that subjects with high general self-efficacy expressed significantly greater degrees of general, interaction, and work adjustment than those with low general self-efficacy. Similarly, high self-monitors expressed greater degrees of general and interaction adjustment than did low self-monitors. No significant difference, however, was found between high and low self-monitors on work adjustment. Given the overall positive results, these findings provide support for the consideration of these personality variables in expatriate selection and training.