AI Insight
This study examined how identity gaps, specifically discrepancies between personal, enacted, relational, and communal identity dimensions, affect the psychological adaptation of 425 Taiwanese university students studying in Fujian Province, mainland China. Using partial least squares structural equation modeling, the researchers found that all three identity gaps were negatively associated with psychological well-being, with the Personal Communal Identity Gap (PCIG), reflecting tension between personal identity and group-level cultural expectations, being the most consistently harmful to psychological adaptation. The findings extend the Communication Theory of Identity to an intra-cultural, East-to-East mobility context, demonstrating that identity gap effects are not limited to traditional cross-cultural migration scenarios.
Why it matters
Understanding which identity constructs most strongly predict psychological difficulties can help universities and policymakers design targeted support programs for Taiwanese students in mainland China, a growing population that has received limited research attention. These findings also suggest that communal and collective identity alignment may be a particularly critical factor in student well-being within Eastern cultural environments.
by Jiaying Lan, Kartini Aboo Talib @ Khalid, Shazlin Amir Hamzah, Peng Kee Chang
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.