While there is a growing body of research on study abroad programs, as Li, Olson, and Frieze (2013) observed, "Research on study abroad has primarily focused on the effects or outcomes of study abroad participation on the students involved in these programs…Very limited attention has been devoted to studying factors affecting students'…

To date, student motivation for electing to study abroad has not been incorporated into study abroad research as a potential factor influencing intercultural development. The authors of this study hypothesize that a student's motivation for studying abroad plays an important role in influencing the program a student selects and in determining what…