Prevalence of adjustment problems in university students: effects of gender and change of residence
Prevalence of adjustment problems in university students: effects of gender and change of residence

Summary/Abstract: The purpose of this study was to examine the prevalence of adjustment problems in university students and the effect of gender and change of residence on adjustment problems. A sample of 346 university students completed Students' problems scale and a list of demographic questions. Up to 16.50 percent of students reported being highly burdened personal and emotional, as well as social and family problems, while 12.4 percent of students reported being highly burdened by risk factors (thoughts of doing harm to oneself or committing suicide, occasional aggressive or destructive behavior, engaging in criminal behavior, using illegal drugs, unwanted sexual relations, sexual assault or rape, problems related to sex life, thoughts of dropping out of university, problems concerning engaging in sexual relations, using laxatives, purging or extreme dieting, family violence and being unaccepted in one’s social circle). Results of two-way analysis of variance have not shown significant effects of gender and change of residence on personal and emotional, nor social and family problems. However, they have shown significant differences in risk factors. Male students exhibit more thoughts of doing harm to oneself or committing suicide, engaging in criminal behavior, using illegal drugs, unwanted sexual relations, and family violence. Students, who stayed at home while attending university, reported more family violence, using laxatives, purging or extreme dieting, than the ones who left home to attend university. Interaction effects of gender and change of residence have shown that male students, who did not change their residence reported more occasional aggressive or destructive behavior and sexual assault or rape, than the ones who changed their residence, while female students did not differ significantly depending whether they left home or not.

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