Klinik Psikiyatri Dergisi (Dec 2021)

Developing an assessment scale for adjusment problems in university students (tur)

  • Ahmet Topuzoğlu,
  • Furkan Özel,
  • Zeynep Meva Altaş,
  • Can Ilgın,
  • Cihad Kaya,
  • Seyhan Hıdıroğlu

DOI
https://doi.org/10.5505/kpd.2021.94032
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 24, no. 4
pp. 513 – 522

Abstract

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INTRODUCTION: We aimed to develop a scale to evaluate adjustment problems in university students and to reveal the factors affecting compliance. METHODS: A total of 34 questions were created in the areas of procrastination, perfectionism, difficulty in focusing, communication, anxiety, lost mourning and self-confidence, which may disrupt harmony among university students. The study was conducted on the University Health Campus students population. A questionnaire questioning the sociodemographic characteristics, the 34-item Adjustment Problems Scale and the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI) were applied to the students. When scales with missing responses were excluded, 754 students' responses were included in statistical evaluation because they were complete in all scales. Factors with eigenvalues ​​above one in the explanatory factor analysis were defined as scale sub-domains. Comparisons were made with the brief symptom inventory and the external validity of the scale was tested in this way. Spearman correlation coefficient was calculated in these comparisons.Confirmatory factor analysis conducted for scale fit analysis. RESULTS: Seven of the scale questions were excluded from the scale due to low correlation coefficients (<0.30) and factor content load (<0.50). A total of 26 questions was formed. The scale has a structure consisting of 6 sub-fields with 26 questions. Sub-areas Difficulty focusing, procrastination, communication problems, insecurity, perfectionism, social anxiety. The Cronbach alpha value for 26 questions in the scale was 0.87.Based on the confirmatory factor analysis results, a 21-question scale was created by removing avoidance behaviors in communication. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: As a result of this study, an adjustment problems scale for university students was obtained. Such a scale can be used to identify risky groups in field studies. It can facilitate the production of knowledge in the field of preventive mental health. At the beginning of the therapy for university students, "Adaptation Problems Scale" can be used to determine problem areas.

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