Contracting the gap: The effects of identity gaps on the psychological adaptation of Taiwanese university students

Abstract

With the rapid internationalization of higher education, patterns of student mobility have moved beyond the traditional intercultural model of East-to-West migration. Mainland China has become a major destination for international students, and the number of Taiwanese university students studying there has steadily increased recently. This trend underscores a significant research gap regarding the psychological adaptation of students engaged in intra-cultural mobility within Eastern cultural contexts. This study extends identity gap research, a core concept of the Communication Theory of Identity (CTI), to a less explored intra-cultural educational mobility framework. It empirically examines the associations among Personal Enacted Identity Gap (PEIG), Personal Relational Identity Gap (PRIG), and Personal Communal Identity Gap (PCIG), as well as their associations with the psychological adaptation of Taiwanese university students in mainland China, with the aim of identifying the identity construct most consistently associated with psychological adaptation. A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 425 Taiwanese university students in Fujian Province. Data were analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM), two alternative models, and PLS-IPMA. The findings show that identity gaps are negatively associated with psychological outcomes in an Eastern cultural context, and that the PCIG is the construct most consistently negatively associated with psychological adaptation. These findings extend the understanding and applicability of the CTI and highlight the cultural sensitivity of identity gaps across different contexts. This study also provides important implications for policymakers and educational administrators seeking to design and implement strategies to promote the psychological adaptation of Taiwanese university students in mainland China.