Latent profiles of cross-cultural adaptation among African international students in China: integrating identity recognition, social avoidance, cultural intelligence, and perceived discrimination

BACKGROUND: International students from high cultural-distance backgrounds face unique adaptation challenges, yet research has predominantly examined these challenges using variable-centered approaches that assume population homogeneity. This study adopts a person-centered approach to identify distinct latent profiles among African international students in China based on identity recognition, social avoidance, cultural intelligence, and perceived discrimination, and examines how these profiles differ in cross-cultural adaptation outcomes. METHODS: A mixed-methods research design was employed. Quantitative data were collected from 524 African international students at universities in four Chinese cities (Beijing, Guangzhou, Wuhan, and Wuxi) through questionnaire surveys. Latent profile analysis (LPA) was conducted to identify distinct subgroups, followed by auxiliary analyses comparing profiles on cross-cultural adaptation outcomes. Semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with a subsample of 18 participants, with qualitative insights extracted using thematic analysis to contextualize the quantitative findings. RESULTS: = 156.82, p < .001), with Resilient Integrators reporting the highest adaptation and Anxious Withdrawers the lowest. However, the difference between Resilient Integrators and Cautious Navigators was smaller than expected, suggesting that moderate resources can yield reasonable adaptation in structured contexts. Chinese language proficiency (OR = 1.74, p < .001) and social support (OR = 1.58, p < .001) were significantly associated with membership in the Resilient Integrators profile. Qualitative interviews (N = 18) largely corroborated the quantitative profiles but also revealed important within-profile heterogeneity, particularly among Cautious Navigators, some of whom described experiences overlapping with the Anxious Withdrawers pattern. CONCLUSION: African international students in China form qualitatively distinct subgroups with different configurations of psychological and behavioral characteristics. Findings provide preliminary evidence that support services tailored to the characteristics of distinct subgroups, such as intensive language training and structured social opportunities, may warrant further investigation as alternatives to uniform support programs.