Psychometric Properties of the Persian Version of the Student Adjustment to College Questionnaire.
Subject Areas : psychotherapy
mohammad shakarami
1
,
maryam raeis shahraki
2
,
elnaz zibaei
3
1 - Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, Isf.C., Islamic Azad University, Isfahan, Iran.
2 - Andisheh Javan Psychology Research Group, Isfahan, Iran
3 - Msc. Student Department of Psychology, Islamic Azad University, Khomeinishahr Branch, Isfahan, Iran.
Keywords: adaptation, students, university,
Abstract :
The purpose of the present study was to examine the psychometric properties of the Persian version of the Student Adaptation to College Questionnaire. This research employed a descriptive–survey design in the form of instrument standardization. The statistical population consisted of all students at Islamic Azad University of Isfahan (Khorasgan Branch) during the 2024–2025 academic year. From this population, 500 students were selected through convenience sampling, and after excluding incomplete questionnaires, data from 480 participants were analyzed. The study instruments included the Student Adaptation to College Questionnaire, the Academic Adjustment Questionnaire, and the Sense of Belonging to University Questionnaire. Data analysis was conducted using exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, Cronbach’s alpha coefficient, and multigroup invariance testing. Results of the exploratory factor analysis indicated that the Persian version of the questionnaire comprised four main factors (interpersonal relations, academic activity and career readiness, responsibility, and social participation), which together explained 57.55% of the variance. Confirmatory factor analysis indices further supported the adequacy of the model fit. Convergent validity of the instrument was confirmed through significant correlations with academic adjustment and sense of belonging to university measures. Reliability, assessed using Cronbach’s alpha, was 0.85 for the total scale and ranged from 0.70 to 0.89 across subscales. Findings from multigroup invariance testing demonstrated structural consistency of the instrument across male and female students. Overall, the Persian version of the Student Adaptation to College Questionnaire exhibited satisfactory psychometric properties and can be considered a valid tool for assessing the adaptation of Iranian students to the university environment.
Abouserie, R. (2021). University students’ adaptation and psychological well-being: A cross-cultural view. Educational Psychology Review, 33(2), 357–375.
Allen, K. A., & Bowles, T. (2020). University transition: How student adaptation predicts success. Journal of College Student Development, 61(5), 555–570.
Amini, M., Abedini, S., & Ghasemi, G. (2023). Psychometric evaluation of the Persian version of the Student Adaptation to College Questionnaire (SACQ). Educational Measurement Quarterly, 14(2), 89–102.
Arnett, J. J. (2022). Emerging adulthood: The winding road from the late teens through the twenties (2nd ed.). Oxford University Press.
Aydın, S., & Kaya, Y. (2021). Emotional adjustment and social adaptation among first-year university students. Turkish Journal of Psychology, 36(1), 27–40.
Bai, S., & Repetti, R. (2020). Student stress and academic functioning in the university setting. Educational Research Quarterly, 43(3), 15–32.
Baker, R. W., & Siryk, B. (1984). Measuring adjustment to college. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 31(2), 179–189. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-0167.31.2.179.
Berger, J. B., & Malaney, G. D. (2020). College student adjustment: An exploration of psychosocial factors. Journal of Student Affairs Research and Practice, 57(2), 123–141.
Bower, M., & Mistry, S. (2022). The Role of Extracurricular Activities in a ‘Typical’ Week for Students’ Academic and Social Adjustment to Their First Year of University. Journal of College Student Development, 63(2), 173–188.
Brown, L., & Holloway, I. (2021). Adjusting to university life: Cultural and emotional transitions. Higher Education Research & Development, 40(1), 89–103.
Cassidy, S. (2020). Emotional intelligence, coping, and adjustment in university students. Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education, 12(1), 139–152.
Chen, C., Bian, F., & Zhu, Y. (2023). The relationship between social support and academic engagement among university students: The chain mediating effects of life satisfaction and academic motivation. BMC Public Health, 23, 2368.
Cheng, L., & Li, Y. (2023). Academic adaptation of first-year students: A longitudinal analysis. Journal of College Student Retention, 24(1), 112–134.
Darabi, M., & Macaskill, A. (2022). Psychological distress and academic performance in Iranian university students. Iranian Journal of Psychiatry, 17(1), 23–34. [In Persian]
Deasy, C., & Coughlan, B. (2021). Psychosocial adjustment and the university experience. Journal of Youth Studies, 24(3), 379–397.
DeLuca Bishop, H. K., Baker, E. A., & van Dulmen, M. H. M. (2023). The role of friends and romantic partners in college-attending emerging adults’ engagement and GPA. Emerging Adulthood, 11(1), 221–233.
Fallahi, A., & Faramarzi, M. (2020). Social support, stress, and adjustment among Iranian college students. Iranian Journal of Psychology, 15(4), 241–257. [In Persian]
Galatzer-Levy, I. R., & Bonanno, G. A. (2020). Patterns of college student adjustment to stress. Personality and Individual Differences, 160, 109929.
Ghaffari, A., & Rahmani, K. (2024). Validation of the academic adaptation inventory among Iranian freshmen. Iranian Journal of Educational Psychology, 18(1), 42–58. [In Persian]
Ghasemi, F., & Karami, A. (2021). Adaptation to college life and mental health outcomes in Iranian youth. Journal of Counseling Research, 13(2), 45–59. [In Persian]
Hamid, N., & Mahdavi, F. (2023). Cultural differences in university adaptation among Iranian students. Journal of Multicultural Counseling, 41(2), 88–101. [In Persian]
Hassani, M., & Ahmadi, A. (2022). Academic stress and coping strategies in university students. Educational Research and Reviews, 17(4), 76–89. [In Persian]
Hendrick, L., Opdenakker, M.-C., & Van der Vaart, W. (2023). Students’ academic engagement during COVID-19 times: A mixed-methods study into relatedness and loneliness during the pandemic. Frontiers in Psychology, 14, Article 1221003.
Hosseinian, S., Moghadam, M. K., & Dejkam, M. (2024). Evaluation of the Psychometric Properties of Student Adaptation to College Questionnaire Among Iranian Freshmen. Iranian Journal of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, 18(1), e138945. [In Persian]
Hurst, C. S., & Baranik, L. E. (2021). The role of belonging in college student mental health and academic success. Journal of Educational Psychology, 113(1), 1–14.
Jafari, M., & Faramarzi, S. (2020). Psychological predictors of university adjustment among Iranian students. Journal of Educational Psychology Studies, 8(3), 89–106. [In Persian]
Jalali, R., & Nasiri, H. (2023). Role of attachment and emotion regulation in predicting student adjustment. Iranian Journal of Behavioral Sciences, 17(1), 51–65. [In Persian]
Jeong, E., & Park, Y. (2009). Development and validation of the University Life Adjustment Inventory for Korean undergraduates. Korean Journal of Educational Psychology, 23(4), 991–1012.
Jones, H. E., & Canning, K. M. (2020). Resilience, support, and university transition. British Journal of Guidance & Counselling, 48(5), 643–657.
Karimi, A., & Zarei, F. (2021). Academic engagement and adjustment in Iranian university freshmen. Journal of Higher Education Research, 29(3), 122–140. [In Persian]
Kim, J., & Park, S. (2020). Understanding college adjustment: Psychometric properties of the College Adaptation Scale. Current Psychology, 39(5), 1820–1832.
Lee, J., & Goldstein, S. E. (2021). Coping strategies and college adjustment. Journal of College Counseling, 24(2), 102–119.
Mahdizadeh, S., & Hosseini, Z. (2022). University adaptation and mental health: A comparative study. Iranian Journal of Clinical Psychology, 14(2), 33–47. [In Persian]
Mahmoudi, M., & Shams, Z. (2020). Social integration and academic performance in Iranian students. Journal of Student Development, 5(4), 55–70. [In Persian]
Mohammadi, M., & Khodabakhshi, K. (2023). University life satisfaction and psychological well-being among Iranian undergraduates. Journal of Mental Health Research, 12(1), 79–95. [In Persian]
Mohammadi, M., Sharifi, A., & Kiani, S. (2016). Psychometric properties of academic adjustment scale in university students. Journal of Psychological Studies, 12(2), 45–57. [In Persian]
Naderi, F., & Rahmani, A. (2021). Predictors of academic adjustment in Iranian female students. Women’s Studies Journal, 19(3), 65–81.
Polmear, J. (2024). Belonging in engineering: Exploring the predictive relevance of social interaction and individual factors on undergraduate students' belonging in engineering. Journal of Engineering Education, 113(4), 678–695.
Pourhossein, R., & Ramezani, M. (2020). Cultural adaptation and academic resilience in university freshmen. Journal of Cultural Psychology, 16(2), 119–132. [In Persian]
Rezaei, F., & Mohammadi, M. (2022). Adaptation challenges among Iranian university students: A cultural and academic perspective. Journal of College Student Development, 63(5), 487–501. [In Persian]
Safaei, M., & Ghodrati, F. (2021). Predicting student adaptation through emotional regulation and personality traits. Journal of Educational and Psychological Studies, 18(1), 27–42. [In Persian]
Samadieh, F., Karshki, H., Amin Yazdi, S. A., & Hejazi, M. (2024). Development and validation of the Student Sense of Belonging to University Scale (SSBUS) in an Iranian context. Higher Education Research & Development. Advance online publication. [In Persian]
Soleimani, N., & Azizi, M. (2022). Emotional well-being and university transition: Iranian context. Middle East Journal of Psychology, 10(1), 103–118. [In Persian]
Taghizade, A., Musavian, S. S., & Hosseininik, S. S. (2024). Psychometric properties of the Persian version of the Online Student Engagement Questionnaire: A transcultural adaptation and psychometric study. Interdisciplinary Journal of Virtual Learning in Medical Sciences, 15(3), 226–240. [In Persian]
Versteeg, M., Kappe, R. F., & Knuiman, C. (2022). Predicting student engagement: The role of academic belonging, social integration, and resilience during COVID-19 emergency remote teaching. Frontiers in Public Health, 10, Article 849594.
Wang, Y., & Lee, R. M. (2021). General adaptation scale for international students: Development and validation. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 68(3), 295–309.
Zarei, H., & Bakhshi, M. (2023). Factors affecting adaptation to university among Iranian students. Journal of Applied Psychology Research, 17(2), 133–148. [In Persian]