Methodological challenges in cross-cultural adaptation research: Insights from a large-scale meta-analysis

In this chapter, we examine current methodological practices in research on the cross-cultural adaptation of migrants. Based on data from a meta-analysis of 1,190 studies on first-generation migrants, we identify three main areas where intercultural research can improve: reporting practices, measurement, and research designs. As to reporting practices, the most common issues are failure to report essential demographic details (e.g., age, sex, country of origin); omission of information on the reliability and validity of variables used in analyses; failure to report other basic statistical information (i.e., bivariate correlations); and scarcity of publicly available datasets, indicating a lack of open science practices. Regarding measurement, the main issue is that measures often conflate predictors and outcomes of adaptation. We demonstrate this problem on three concepts commonly used as predictors in cross-cultural adaptation research: acculturative stress, loneliness, and social connectedness. Measures of these concepts often overlap with those of adaptation outcomes, introducing common method biases. Finally, regarding research designs, the vast majority of studies are cross-sectional, while longitudinal and experimental studies remain rare, limiting the capacity for detecting time precedence patterns and causal relations. We discuss how these issues undermine the applicability, replicability, and credibility of intercultural research, and we conclude by formulating recommendations for the field.