Identity Change and Development as a Potential Explanatory Mechanism of the Outcomes of Student Exchange Experiences

The purpose of this thesis was to explore how and why emerging adults change during university student exchange. To understand these processes, it was necessary to identify the mechanisms of change that can be used to explain the different outcomes. Based on the reviewed literature presented in this thesis, an integrated model of identity was proposed as a method for studying development during exchange. The model was tested with both French and Australian exchange students. Results from the two studies demonstrated that identity development is a central component in the processes of change that occur as part of exchange experiences.