Pre-departure intercultural training programs: A descriptive analysis of current training techniques and methods

This study presents a descriptive analysis of training methods currently being used by professional trainers in U.S.-based pre-departure intercultural training programs for professional, adult sojourners. Data was gathered through semi-structured interviews and a web-based survey, which was distributed to 84 professional pre-departure intercultural trainers. Related background information is presented, including key issues and theories, the origins of the methods, and the growth of key intercultural training organizations. Current organizations conducting pre-departure training, profiles of the organizations included in the interviews, and an analysis of the organizations responding to the survey are presented. The results describe the history, process, origins, and current frequency of use of seventeen pre-departure intercultural training methods. The methods used in four select organizations are discussed in detail. The study concludes with a discussion of the findings as related to the key issues and theories and a discussion of current trends and changes in pre-departure intercultural training.