Study Abroad Meana (SD) Non-Study Abroad Meana (SD) Culturally Relevant Leisure Experiences as Predictors of Intercultural Sensitivity Among Study Abroad Students Samantha L. Powers, Nate E. Trauntvein, Ph.D., Robert J. Barcelona, Ph.D., Cindy L. Hartman, Ph.D. Department of Recreation Management & Policy, University of New Hampshire Background Bivariate analysis Final linear regression Study abroad programs promote desired 21st century skills including global awareness, cross-cultural communications, and intercultural sensitivity1 Research has suggested the importance of culturally relevant leisure within study abroad Benefits of intercultural contact through recreation2 Intercultural sensitivity (IS) and language acquisition outcomes3 Final Regression Model for Intercultural Sensitivity Factors N Overall Meana (SD) Study Abroad Meana (SD) Non-Study Abroad Meana (SD) F Value Sig. Overall Intercultural Sensitivity Score 112 94.07 (10.27) 98.2 (10.05) 91.69 (9.69) 11.407 .001 Respect for Cultural Differences 4.24 (.59) 4.54 (.43) 4.07 (.60) 19.176 .000 Interaction Enjoyment 4.06 (.61) 4.23 (.64) 3.97 (.57) 4.809 .030 Interaction Engagement 3.95 (.48) 4.19 (.40) 3.82 (.48) 17.891 Interaction Attentiveness 3.74 (.54) 3.92 (.55) 3.64 (.51) 7.123 .009 Interaction Confidence 3.53 (.61) 3.50 (.70) 3.54 (.55) .118 .732 International News Intercultural Sensitivity R2=.344*** Β = .412 Β = .301 Films & Music in Foreign Language * p ≤ .050, ** p ≤ .010, *** p ≤ .001, Only significant variables were used in this model Bennet’s Developmental Model of Intercultural Sensitivity explains the way in which we interact with the world around us and experience cultures different from our own4 Discussion Significant differences between students who have studied abroad and students who have not studied abroad in 4 of 5 domains of IS Students who have studied abroad have higher levels of IS than those who have not studied abroad Limited variance in IS among study abroad students As Murphy et al. (2014) suggests, likely because students who opt to study abroad are fundamentally different than those who don’t and therefore are predisposed to higher levels of intercultural sensitivity Importance of participation in culturally specific activities, especially media based activities Get at cultural nuances People with higher IS can understand and experience these Experience of Difference Proposed Regression model Full Regression Model for Intercultural Sensitivity International Travel Guiding question International Cuisine Foreign Websites Is there a significant relationship between culturally relevant leisure during the study abroad experience and level of intercultural sensitivity? Intercultural Sensitivity Films & Music in Foreign Language International Talks & Presentations Management Implications Methodology International News Embrace media within study abroad University managed programs should consider how to integrate media into pre-departure and in-program education Educate students on country-specific media before they go abroad Future research should expand to other universities to increase sample size and make comparisons among program types Quantitative survey Distributed by university’s study abroad office to all students studying abroad in Summer and Fall 2017 (n=51) Control group of students who had not studied abroad (n=71) and were of similar class standing Intercultural Sensitivity Scale5 24 Likert items Measurement of frequency of participation in culturally relevant leisure6 Culture Participation in Culturally Relevant Leisure Language Measure of Comfort/Difference Linear regression to examine the relationship between frequency of participation in culturally relevant leisure and intercultural sensitivity while controlling for language and cultural comfort Contact: sld225@wildcats.unh.edu 1Black & Duhon, 2006; Dolby, 2004; Medina-Lopez-Portillo, 2004; Olson & Kroger, 2001, 2Floyd and Shinew, 1999; Kim, Heo, Lee, Suh, & Kim, 2015, 3Engle & Engle, 2004; Murphy, Sahakyan, Yong-Yi, & Magnan, 2014, 4Bennett, 1993; Bennett, 1998; Bennett, 2014, 5Chen & Starosta, 2000, 6Murphy, Sahakyan, Yong-Yi, & Magnan, 2014 j