Impact of a cultural immersion experience on high school students' perceptions of self and identity

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the impact that study abroad/cultural immersion had on 14 high school students from the Upper Midwest in terms of their self-concept, self-efficacy, cultural competence, worldview, and concepts of national identity. This study analyzed aggregated data from the Global Perspectives Inventory and also qualitatively analyzed student's reflections about their time abroad through the use of a 10-question guided interview. The assessment tools aided the author in concluding that the participants' experiences influenced their perceptions of self and identity.