Who Studies Abroad? Understanding the Impact of Intent on Participation

The Integrated Student Choice Model and Theory of Planned Behavior are used to frame an analysis of longitudinal student data. We utilize generalized structural equation modeling to evaluate our framework and to examine the impact of select student characteristics and college experiences on actual involvement in study abroad, giving particular attention to the role of intentions. Study results generally confirm prior findings and provide general support to our framework underscoring the importance of considering the temporal aspect of decisions to study abroad and the strength of intentions when estimating its effect on participation. Findings highlight student attributes associated with intentions that differ in strength and patterns of institutional characteristics and student attitudes, subjective norms, behavioral control beliefs, intentions, and campus involvement that shape individuals’ decisions to study abroad. Our findings provide insights into why prior study results regarding antecedents of intentions and the impact of intentions on study abroad participation may vary. We offer insights into how to advise and market programs to individuals who enter with different levels of motivation to study abroad.