Sfide transculturali e sviluppo personale: le esperienze degli studenti internazionali in Italia

This study explores the cross-cultural adaptation experiences of 10 international psychology students in Italy, with a particular focus on the development of intercultural competence and its influence on future professional orientation. Through a qualitative research design, semi-structured interviews, narrative and thematic analyses were conducted with a purposive sample of international students enrolled in the Second Cycle Degree in Clinical, Social, and Intercultural Psychology at the University of Padova. The findings were through the frameworks of the Developmental Model of Intercultural Sensitivity (DMIS) highlighting how students cognitively and emotionally processed their cross-cultural encounters. The study also examined how these intercultural experiences shaped students' professional goals. The results underscore the transformative potential of cross-cultural experiences and emphasize the shared responsibility of students, educators, and institutions in fostering environments that support intercultural competence and professional development.