Cultural Intelligence and Fertility Decision-Making: Exploring Mediating Pathways in Sino-Thai Cross-Cultural Marriages

Authors

  • Liwei Wei General Education, Dhurakij Pundit University, Thailand

Keywords:

Cross-Cultural Marriage, Cultural Intelligence, Fertility Intentions, Sino-Thai Intercultural Relationship, Mediating Effects

Abstract

This study critically examines the mediating influence of cultural intelligence on the
relationship between marital satisfaction and fertility intentions among Sino-Thai crosscultural
couples. Employing a methodologically rigorous approach, we surveyed 196 Chinese
nationals married to Thai partners using validated instruments: The General Attitudes towards
Intercultural Marriage Scale, the Cultural Intelligence Scale, and the Fertility Desire Scale.
Correlational analyses revealed significant positive associations among marital satisfaction,
cultural intelligence, and fertility intentions. Furthermore, mediation analysis demonstrated
that cultural intelligence partially mediates the impact of marital satisfaction on fertility
intentions. These findings underscore the pivotal role of cultural intelligence in navigating
intercultural marital dynamics and fertility decision-making. The study contributes to the
scholarly discourse by elucidating the complex interplay of cultural factors in cross-cultural
marriages, particularly within the Sino-Thai context. Implications suggest that enhancing
cultural intelligence may foster greater marital satisfaction and promote positive fertility
intentions, thereby informing interventions and policies aimed at supporting intercultural
couples.

References

Ang, S., & Dyne, L. V. (2015). Handbook of cultural intelligence: Theory, Measurement, and

Applications. Routledge.

Anne-Crowne, K., & Lo, K. (2023). Reexamining social intelligence, emotional intelligence,

and cultural intelligence, for congruence and divergence: Does social intelligence still

exist? Handbook of Cultural Intelligence Research, 45-58.

https://doi.org/10.4337/9781800887169.00012

Baldwin, J. R., González, A., Brock, N., Xie, M., & Chao, C. (2023). Intercultural

communication for everyday life. John Wiley & Sons.

Baron, R. M., & Kenny, D. A. (1986). The moderator-mediator variable distinction in social

psychological research: Conceptual, strategic, and statistical considerations. Journal of

Personality and Social Psychology, 51(6), 1173-1182. https://doi.org/10.1037//0022-

51.6.1173

Barker, G. G. (2015). Cross-cultural perspectives on intercultural communication competence.

Journal of Intercultural Communication Research, 45(1), 13-30.

https://doi.org/10.1080/17475759.2015.1104376

Bastianelli, E. (2024). Climate change worries and fertility intentions. Insights from three EU

countries. https://doi.org/10.31235/osf.io/pv7mz

Beaujouan, É., & Sobotka, T. (2021). Late motherhood in low-fertility countries: Reproductive

intentions, trends and consequences. Institut für Demographie - VID, 1, 1-29.

https://doi.org/10.1553/0x003cd014

Berrington, A. (2021). Fertility desires, intentions, and behaviour. Research Handbook on the

Sociology of the Family. https://doi.org/10.4337/9781788975544.00025

Berry, J. W. (2022). Intelligence as ecological and cultural adaptation. Intelligence in Context,

-30. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-92798-1_2

Bisin, A., & Tura, G. (2019). Marriage, fertility, and cultural integration in Italy. (No. w26303).

National Bureau of Economic Research. https://doi.org/10.3386/w26303

Breger, R., & Hill, R. (2021). Cross-cultural marriage: Identity and choice. Routledge.

Breger, R., & Hill, R. (2021). Introducing mixed marriages. Cross-Cultural Marriage, 1-32.

https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003136101-1

Brünig, B. (2023). Relationship between assimilation and fertility intentions. The Fertility of

Migrants and Minorities in Europe, 147-183. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-

-3_6

Bücker, J., Furrer, O., & Peeters Weem, T. (2016). Robustness and cross-cultural equivalence

of the cultural intelligence scale (CQS). Journal of Global Mobility: The Home of

Expatriate Management Research, 4(3), 300-325. https://doi.org/10.1108/jgm-05-

-0022

Caligiuri, P. (2023). Cultural agility and cultural intelligence. Handbook of Cultural

Intelligence Research, 59-70. https://doi.org/10.4337/9781800887169.00013

Candra, J. C. (2022). Preserving cultural identity in intercultural marriage between Chinese

Indonesian and Javanese couple during Suharto era. Kata Kita Journal of Language,

Literature, and Teaching, 10(1), 114-123. https://doi.org/10.9744/katakita.10.1.114-

Çelik, M., Keser, A., & Yapıcı, Ü. K. (2021). The relationship between cultural diversity and

cultural intelligence: A Cross-cultural research. International Journal of Advanced

Intelligence Paradigms, 19(3/4), 450. https://doi.org/10.1504/ijaip.2021.116367

Cheng, Y. A., & Hsu, C. (2020). No more babies without help for whom? Education, division

of labor, and fertility intentions. Journal of Marriage and Family, 82(4), 1270-1285.

https://doi.org/10.1111/jomf.12672

Crowne, K. A. (2013). Cultural exposure, emotional intelligence, and cultural intelligence.

International Journal of Cross Cultural Management, 13(1), 5-22. https://doi.org/10.1177/1470

Denoux, P., & Simou, P. (2022). Cross-cultural Psychologyà la française: An overview of

interdisciplinary intercultural studies and intercultural psychology. Journal of Cross-

Cultural Psychology, 53(7-8), 817-846. https://doi.org/10.1177/00220221221107727

Dewangan, R. L., Narayanan, H., & Ghosh, R. (2022). Wisdom: Cultural and cross-cultural

understanding with a systematic review of empirical studies. https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.

io/wbtrn

Gaidukova, I. V. (2022). Cross-cultural communication in the context of globalization and

glocalization. Человек. Общество. Наука, 3(3), 54-59. https://doi.org/10.53015/268

-8172_2022_3_3_54

Gavriel, A. (2020). 1. Incorporating cultural intelligence into joint intelligence: Cultural

intelligence and ethnographic intelligence. Culture, Conflict, and Counterinsurgency,

-45. https://doi.org/10.1515/9780804789219-003

Gietel-Basten, S., Casterline, J., & Choe, M. K. (2018). Family demography in Asia: A

comparative analysis of fertility preferences. Edward Elgar Publishing.

Gonçalves, G., & Sousa, C. (2022). Cultural intelligence in intercultural mediation. The

Routledge Handbook of Intercultural Mediation, 369-377. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781

-47

Hewitt, B., & Churchill, B. (2020). Convergence and difference: Marriage and family life from

a cross-cultural perspective. Cross-Cultural Family Research and Practice, 57-102.

https://doi.org/10.1016/b978-0-12-815493-9.00003-x

Hsu, C. (. (2017). Intercultural communication and relationships. Global Perspectives on

Intercultural Communication, 155-178. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315716282-21

Huff, K. C. (2011). Language, cultural intelligence, and cross-cultural adjustment.

PsycEXTRA Dataset. https://doi.org/10.1037/e518362013-025

Inkson, K., & Thomas, D. (2011). Cultural intelligence: Living and working globally.

ReadHowYouWant.com.

Intercultural intimate relationships. (2015). The SAGE Encyclopedia of Intercultural

Competence. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781483346267.n166

Intercultural marriage and family. (2017). The SAGE Encyclopedia of Marriage, Family, and

Couples Counseling. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781483369532.n265

Jackson, J. (2019). Language and intercultural relationships. Introducing Language and

Intercultural Communication, 209-243. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781351059275-8

Jackson, J. (2023). Intercultural relationships. Introducing Language and Intercultural

Communication, 223-253. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003332442-8

Ji, S. (2021). Fertility Intentions of Childbearing-Age Migrant Women with One Child and Its

Influences. Proceedings of the 6th Annual International Conference on Social Science

and Contemporary Humanity Development (SSCHD 2020). https://doi.org/10.2991/asse

hr.k.210121.201

Karis, T. A., & Killian, K. D. (2011). Intercultural couples: Exploring diversity in intimate

relationships. Routledge.

Khatib-Chahidi, J., Hill, R., & Paton, R. (2021). Chance, choice and circumstance: A study of

women in cross-cultural marriages. Cross-Cultural Marriage, 49-66.

https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003136101-3

Kim, Y. Y. (2017). Cross-cultural adaptation. Oxford Research Encyclopedia of

Communication. https://doi.org/10.1093/acrefore/9780190228613.013.21

Koc, E. (2020). Intercultural competence, intercultural sensitivity, and cultural intelligence.

Cross-Cultural Aspects of Tourism and Hospitality, 54-82. https://doi.org/10.4324/978

-3

Kohlmann, A. (2002). Fertility Intentions in a Cross-Cultural View: The Value of Children

Reconsidered. https://doi.org/10.4054/mpidr-wp-2002-002

Liao, Y., & Thomas, D. C. (2020). Cultural intelligence in the world of work. Springer Series

in Emerging Cultural Perspectives in Work, Organizational, and Personnel Studies.

https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-18171-0

Liao, Y., & Thomas, D. C. (2020). Development of cultural intelligence. Springer Series in

Emerging Cultural Perspectives in Work, Organizational, and Personnel Studies, 67-

https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-18171-0_5

Machette, A. T., & Cionea, I. A. (2023). In-laws, communication, and other frustrations: The

challenges of intercultural marriages. Interpersona: An International Journal on

Personal Relationships, 17(1), 1-18. https://doi.org/10.5964/ijpr.8047

Malay, E. D., Coelen, R. J., & Otten, S. (2024). The dynamics in the relationship between

perceived cultural distance, cultural intelligence and adjustment of international

students. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 102, 102016. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ij

intrel.2024.102016

Maxwell, A. (2021). Not all issues are Black or white: Some voices from the offspring of crosscultural

marriages. Cross-Cultural Marriage, 209-228.

https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003136101-12

Naghibi, S. A., Khazaee-Pool, M., & Moosazadeh, M. (2019). Psychometric properties of

fertility desire scale (FDS) developed for Iranian parents. BMC Public Health, 19(1).

https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-019-7413-x

Ng, K. Y., Ang, S., & Rockstuhl, T. (2022). Cultural intelligence: From intelligence in context

and across cultures to intercultural contexts. Intelligence in Context, 177-200.

https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-92798-1_8

Ng, R. (2013). Cultural intelligence. The Encyclopedia of Cross‐Cultural Psychology, 310-

https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118339893.wbeccp130

Park, S. S., & Rosén, L. A. (2013). The Marital Scales: Measurement of Intent, Attitudes, and

Aspects Regarding Marital Relationships. Journal of Divorce & Remarriage, 54(4),

-312. https://doi.org/10.1080/10502556.2013.780491

Parra-Pérez, Á. (2020). Let’s Talk about Chinese Tourism, but Fertility. Tourism Product

Development in China, Asian and European Countries, 175-188.

https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-4447-7_11

Piller, I. (2010). Cross-cultural communication in intimate relationships. APA Handbook of

Intercultural Communication, 259-276. https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctv1chs0s5.18

Ramlan, S. N. (2020). Exploring recent issues on cross-cultural marriage towards globalizing.

International Journal of Psychosocial Rehabilitation, 24(5), 7195-7203.

https://doi.org/10.37200/ijpr/v24i5/pr2020730

Refsing, K. (2021). Gender identity and gender role patterns in cross-cultural marriages: The

Japanese-Danish case 1. Cross-Cultural Marriage, 193-208. https://doi.org/10.4324/97

-11

Robinson, K. (2024). Creating intercultural families. Marriage Migration, Intercultural

Families and Global Intimacies, 83-113. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-99-9033-7_4

Robinson, K. (2024). Introduction: Transnational cross-cultural marriage in Australia’s

multicultural society. Marriage Migration, Intercultural Families and Global

Intimacies, 1-26. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-99-9033-7_1

Safronova, Y., & Michshenko, Y. (2023). Cross-cultural communication in the context of

globalization: Language and culture nexus. InterConf, (30(143)), 211-221.

https://doi.org/10.51582/interconf.19-20.02.2023.024

Scelza, B. A. (2023). Marriage and monogamy in cross-cultural perspective. The Oxford

Ha n d b o o k o f Huma n M a t i n g , 5 3 1 - 5 5 4 .

https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780197536438.013.6

Schick, M. (2017). Fertility-related knowledge in clusters of German women and men

determined by fertility intentions and cultural milieus. https://doi.org/10.26226/m

orressier.5912d9ebd462b802923863bd

Semafumu, S. (2021). Freedom of choice or Pandora's box? Legal pluralism and the regulation

of cross-cultural marriages in Uganda. Cross-Cultural Marriage, 113-128.

https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003136101-7

Shreffler, K. (2024). Pregnancy and fertility intentions. Oxford Research Encyclopedia of

Global Public Health. https://doi.org/10.1093/acrefore/9780190632366.013.200

Skuybedina, O., & Khimich, T. (2021). Cross-cultural relations in the context of globalization:

Trends and prospects. SSRN Electronic Journal. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3864990

Sobotka, T., & Beaujouan, É. (2017). Late motherhood in low-fertility countries: Reproductive

intentions, trends and consequences. Preventing Age Related Fertility Loss, 11-29.

https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-14857-1_2

Tan, J. (2023). South Korea’s fertility puzzle: A mismatch between sustained childbearing

desires and declining fertility. Journal of Comparative Family Studies, 54(2), 131-155.

https://doi.org/10.3138/jcfs.54.2.030

Thomas, D. C., & Inkson, K. C. (2017). Cultural intelligence: Surviving and thriving in the

global village. Berrett-Koehler Publishers.

Thomas, Y., & Liao, D. C. (2023). The torturous evolution of the short form cultural

intelligence scale (SFCQ). Handbook of Cultural Intelligence Research, 105-119.

https://doi.org/10.4337/9781800887169.00017

Thomas, D. C., & Liao, Y. (2023). Handbook of cultural intelligence research. Edward Elgar

Publishing.

Tremayne, S. (2001). Managing reproductive life: Cross-cultural themes in sexuality and

fertility. Berghahn Books.

Tsuya, N. O., Choe, M. K., & Wang, F. (2019). Convergence to Very Low Fertility in East

Asia: Processes, Causes, and Implications. Springer Japan.

Varela, O. (2019). Multicultural competence: An empirical comparison between intercultural

sensitivity and cultural intelligence. European J. of International Management, 1(1), 1.

https://doi.org/10.1504/ejim.2019.10018108

Wawrosz, P., & Jurásek, M. (2022). The role of cultural intelligence facets in cross-cultural

adjustment. Journal of Intercultural Communication Research, 52(2), 216-235.

https://doi.org/10.1080/17475759.2022.2155863

Weisfeld, C. C., Weisfeld, G. E., & Dillon, L. M. (2017). The psychology of marriage: An

evolutionary and cross-cultural view. Lexington Books.

Wiruchnipawan, F., & Chua, R. Y. (2018). Intercultural relationships and creativity. Oxford

Scholarship Online. https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780190455675.003.0009

Wu, X., Zhou, M., & Kan, M. (2024). Fertility and childcare in East Asia: Gender dynamics

and intergenerational support. Taylor & Francis.

Yamani, M. (2021). Cross-Cultural Marriage within Islam: Ideals and reality. Cross-Cultural

Marriage, 153-169. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003136101-9

Yao, W., & Nie, Z. (2024). A study on the cultural memory of Thai-Chinese lion dance in

Bangkok, Thailand. https://doi.org/10.53555/kuey.v30i5.2497

Yoon, S. (2016). Is Gender Inequality a Barrier to Realizing Fertility Intentions? Fertility

Aspirations and Realizations in South Korea. Asian Population Studies, 12(2), 203-219.

https://doi.org/10.1080/17441730.2016.1163873

Young, C. A., Haffejee, B., & Corsun, D. L. (2017). The Relationship between Ethnocentrisms

and Cultural Intelligence. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 58, 31-41.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijintrel.2017.04.001

Additional Files

Published

30.06.2025

How to Cite

Wei, L. (2025). Cultural Intelligence and Fertility Decision-Making: Exploring Mediating Pathways in Sino-Thai Cross-Cultural Marriages. Journal of China-ASEAN Studies, 5(2), 1–19. retrieved from https://so07.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/JCAS/article/view/8364

Issue

Section

Articles