Adaptation and Validation of the University Adjustment Scale for Azerbaijani Students

Abstract

University adjustment is a multidimensional process involving academic, social, personal–emotional, and institutional adaptation. The assessment of university adjustment using culturally appropriate and psychometrically sound instruments is important for understanding students’ adaptation processes and identifying adjustment-related difficulties. The purpose of this study was to adapt the University Adjustment Scale (UAS) into Azerbaijani and to examine its psychometric properties among Azerbaijani university students. The UAS is a multidimensional instrument designed to assess academic, social, personal–emotional, and institutional adjustment to university life. Following the linguistic and conceptual adaptation procedures, the scale was administered to university students in Azerbaijan. The study sample consisted of 500 students enrolled at Khazar University in Azerbaijan. Construct validity was evaluated using exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Internal consistency reliability was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha coefficients and corrected item–total correlations. The reliability analyses demonstrated satisfactory internal consistency for the Azerbaijani version of the UAS, with Cronbach’s alpha coefficients ranging from .800 to .924 across the subdimensions and the total scale. Preliminary reliability analyses indicated that Item 41 demonstrated weak psychometric performance and was therefore excluded from subsequent analyses, resulting in a final 44-item version of the scale. The EFA findings suggested a four-factor structure broadly corresponding to the original UAS, explaining 38.25% of the total variance. However, the CFA results provided mixed evidence regarding the fit of this structure (χ² = 2773.83, df = 896, p <.001; CFI = .776, TLI = .764, RMSEA = .065, and SRMR = .065). Although the RMSEA and SRMR values were within commonly accepted ranges, the CFI and TLI values indicated inadequate incremental fit. Overall, the Azerbaijani version of the UAS demonstrated satisfactory internal consistency and provided preliminary evidence regarding its multidimensional structure. However, the mixed CFA results suggest that the four-factor structure was not fully supported by the data. These findings represent an initial contribution to the assessment of university adjustment in the Azerbaijani higher education context.