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Intercultural Adjustment Potential Scale (ICAPS-55) 

The ICAPS-55 is the only scale available today that can reliably and validly predict the degree 
to which a person will successfully adjust to living, working, and playing effectively 
in a new and different cultural environment. 
 

The ICAPS-55 is Useful as 

 q       An assessment tool to examine an individual’s strengths and weaknesses prior to departure to maximize intercultural experiences;

 q       A selection instrument that can help managers, administrators, and organizations select individuals for intercultural, international, or overseas assignments;

 q       A training tool that can be used to assess the efficacy of intercultural training programs; or overseas assignments;

 q       A research instrument that can be used to measure cross-cultural adaptability scientifically

Brief Description of the Scientific Basis of the Test 

 q       The ICAPS-55 was developed over a six-year period involving 19 studies that have established its scientific reliability and validity, involving well over a total of 2,500 participants

 q       Research on the ICAPS-55 has shown that it can predict intercultural adjustment for immigrants and sojourners from a variety of different cultural groups, including  

o       Japanese students and businesspersons  
o      
Americans  
o      
Swedes  
o      
Indians  
o      
Individuals from Latin and South America
o       Other multi-cultural groups sojourning and/or immigrating to the U.S.

 q       Research has also demonstrated convincingly that the ICAPS-55 can also reliably predict adjustment within one’s own culture to everyday life

 q       To date, research has amply demonstrated the following psychometric properties of the ICAPS-55:

o       Temporal, internal, and parallel forms reliability (Japanese, English, and Spanish)

o       Content, convergent, divergent, incremental, concurrent predictive, and external validity


Easy to Use! 

The ICAPS-55 is easy to use. Participants mark their responses to 55 items describing aspects of themselves. The test generally takes 10-15 minutes to administer.  

Scores   

Five scores are generated, a total score and four scores corresponding to the four psychological skills necessary for adjustment. These are  

1.      Emotion Regulation: The ability to monitor and manage one’s emotional experiences and expressions, and to channel their energies in constructive ways

2.      Openness: The ability to encounter new experiences, emotions, and thoughts

3.      Flexibility: The ability to assimilate new experiences, schemas, and ways of thinking into one’s own

4.      Critical Thinking: The ability to think outside the box in creative and autonomous ways
 

For More Information  

The ICAPS-55 is available for research or commercial use.  

For inquiries regarding potential use of ICAPS-55 in research, please see the ICAPS Researcher packet for the current terms and usages or Contact David Matsumoto

For inquiries regarding the potential commercial use of ICAPS-55 in business applications, please click the following: http://www.ichangeworld.com/icaps.html 

 

The revised ICAPS-55 manual

Thanks a lot for your interest in the ICAPS! 

References 

For more information concerning the scientific reliability and validity of the ICAPS, please see these sources: 

Matsumoto, D., LeRoux, J., Ratzlaff, C., Tatani, H., Uchida, H., Kim, C., & Araki, S. (2001). Development and validation of a measure of intercultural adjustment potential in Japanese sojourners: The Intercultural Adjustment Potential Scale (ICAPS). International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 25, 483-510. 

Matsumoto, D., LeRoux, J. A., Iwamoto, M., Choi, J. W., Rogers, D., Tatani, H., & Uchida, H. (2001). The robustness of the Intercultural Adjustment Potential Scale (ICAPS): The search for a universal psychological engine of adjustment. Manuscript submitted for publication. 

 

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Dr. David Matsumoto