Abstract

This study aimed to validate the psychometric properties of the Korean version of the Multicultural Personality Questionnaire - Short Form (K-MPQ-SF), developed by van der Zee et al. (2013), to assess its applicability for measuring intercultural traits among Korean populations. A self-report survey was conducted with a sample of 388 Korean undergraduate students aged 18 to 25, and the data were analyzed to evaluate the reliability and validity of the instrument. The exploratory factor analysis of the K-MPQ-SF revealed that all items, except for one item, were classified into the same factor structure as the original scale (MPQ-SF). However, confirmatory factor analysis indicated unsatisfactory model fit for both the K-MPQ-SF with 40 items and the adjusted 39-item version, which excluded the item that had an altered factor structure. After simplifying the model by removing items with low factor loadings and condensing it to 20 items, the K-MPQ-SF showed an overall good fit index and confirmed construct validity. Notably, among the sub-factors of multicultural personality, only the three factors of cultural empathy, social dominance, and open-mindedness secured criterion-related validity in relation to intercultural sensitivity and intercultural attitudes, while flexibility and emotional stability did not. Based on these findings, it is recommended that future research or assessments focusing on intercultural traits in Korean contexts prioritize the use of these three factors. Furthermore, the study discusses the sociocultural specificity of South Korea compared to Western cultures.