Cross-Cultural Adjustment (Black & Stephens)
Cross-culturalReliability: General alpha 0.82; Interaction alpha 0.89; Work alpha 0.913 sample items
About this scale
A 14-item measure of expatriate adjustment across three facets: general adjustment to the new country, interaction adjustment with locals, and work adjustment to the new role. Foundational in expatriate management research.
Sample item(s)
“How adjusted are you to the food in this country? (general)”
“How adjusted are you to interacting with host nationals on a day-to-day basis? (interaction)”
“How adjusted are you to your specific job responsibilities in this country? (work)”
Reliability
Reported internal consistency: General alpha 0.82; Interaction alpha 0.89; Work alpha 0.91. As a rule of thumb, Cronbach’s α ≥ .70 is considered acceptable, ≥ .80 good, and ≥ .90 excellent for established measures.
Notes
Most cited expatriate adjustment measure; rated on a 7-point 'not at all adjusted' to 'completely adjusted' scale.
Source & citation
Black, J. S., & Stephens, G. K. (1989): The influence of the spouse on American expatriate adjustment and intent to stay in Pacific Rim overseas assignments. Journal of Management, Vol. 15, No. 4, pp. 529–544.
Black & Stephens (1989): Cross-cultural adjustment scale. JOM, 15(4), 529–544.
Source. Scale details are summarised from the publication cited above. Always consult the original source for the full item set, scoring, and permission to use.
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