Effects of cognitive flexibility on sociocultural adaptation: A moderated parallel mediation SEM in China's...

Research sociocultural adaptation mechanisms of international students are crucial for advancing global higher education. This study investigates how cognitive flexibility facilitates sociocultural adaptation through Parallel mediation pathways of self-efficacy and perceived social support, while examining the moderating role of length of residence. A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 207 international students in eastern China. Data were collected using the Cognitive Control and Flexibility Questionnaire, Brief Sociocultural Adaptation Scale, General Self-Efficacy Scale, and Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support. Structural equation modeling in AMOS was employed to validate parallel mediation effects and analyze the moderating mechanism of residence duration. The total effect of cognitive flexibility on sociocultural adaptation was significant (β = 0.290, p = 0.002), though its direct effect was nonsignificant (β = 0.001, p = 0.982). Dual mediation emerged through perceived social support (indirect effect = 0.172) and self-efficacy (indirect effect = 0.116). Moderated path analysis revealed that residence duration negatively regulated the link between cognitive flexibility and perceived social support (interaction term β = -0.213), with the social support pathway becoming nonsignificant among long-term residents (β = 0.069, p = 0.426). Cognitive flexibility enhances sociocultural adaptation by strengthening both self-efficacy and perceived social support. As the length of stay in China increases, its impact on social support will gradually diminish. To promote intercultural adaptation, universities should prioritize cognitive flexibility training and cultivate self-efficacy all stages.