Turkish Undergraduate Students Research Articles

Evaluating the Relationships among the Sociodemographic Variables and Gender Perceptions of Undergraduate Students in Turkey: A Meta-Analysis Study

This study seeks to examine gender perceptions in Turkey. After completing a literature review, the research compiles and analyzes academic studies on Turkish undergraduate students and their gender perceptions. Of the 763 studies included in the literature review, 15 were included in the meta-analysis. The study uses Comprehensive Meta-Analysis (CMA) Software (Biostat Inc, 2021) for the analysis and has concluded four different sociodemographic variables to be suitable for the meta-analysis. The variables used are undergraduates’ (1) gender, (2) school year, (3) mother’s education, and (4) father’s education. The paper presents the findings for each variable separately. The results show gender assigned at birth to have the biggest effect on undergraduate students’ gender perceptions, mother’s education to have a small effect, and father’s education to have no effect. The most striking and notable result from the meta-analysis is the lack of difference between the gender perceptions of freshman and senior undergraduate students.

Stigmatization of people with alcohol and drug addiction among Turkish undergraduate students

IntroductionStigmatization of people with substance use problems have been reported to be high among young adults in Western countries. It is not clear if this finding could be replicated among emerging adults in non-Western countries. Thus, the aim of this study was to firstly explore stigmatizing attitudes of undergraduate students in Turkey towards people with alcohol, marijuana and heroin addiction, and then test a mediation model to explain stigmatizing attitudes among college students. MethodA total of 513 undergraduate students participated in the study. They completed a set of questionnaires to measure perceived stigma towards substance use, perceived danger and feeling fearful towards people with substance addiction (i.e., alcohol, heroin, marijuana), and a willingness to engage in relationships with people who are addicted to these three substances. ResultsFemales, compared to males, reported being more fearful of people who are addicted to alcohol, marijuana and heroin. Younger compared to older participants perceived people who are addicted to these substances as more dangerous. Younger participants also had higher social distance towards people who are addicted to alcohol and marijuana than older participants. Perceived dangerousness and fearfulness partially mediated the relationship between perceived stigma and social distance in alcohol, marijuana and heroin. ConclusionResearch findings may help determine potential correlates of stigmatizing attitudes as well as developing models to explain stigmatizing attitudes among Turkish college students.

Psychological well-being in college students: Psychometric properties of the Brief Inventory of Thriving (BIT) and the Comprehensive Inventory of Thriving (CIT)

The purpose of the present study is to investigate the psychometric properties of two integrative inventories of psychological well-being– the Brief Inventory of Thriving (BIT) and the Comprehensive Inventory of Thriving (CIT)– that could be widely used among Turkish young adults. This study also aimed to examine whether students with severe psychological health symptoms reported higher levels of loneliness, lack of control, and negative feelings, and fewer positive domains of the CIT (e.g., support, belonging, positive feelings, and self-efficacy). The participants of this study included 314 Turkish undergraduate students (76% female with an age range of 18–47 years [M = 22.83, SD = 4.09]) from a state university in Turkey. Confirmatory factor analyses showed good psychometric fit statistics of both the CIT and BIT, confirming the latent structure of inventories. Factor loadings of the CIT items were strong, with robust indicator reliabilities. With regard to the concurrent validity of the measures, the study results showed that the domains and the brief version of the measure had significant correlations with psychological health symptoms. Additionally, individuals with severe mental health symptoms reported fewer positive psychological domains of psychological well-being, whereas having higher negative domains of psychological well-being than those with mild symptoms. Specifically, Cohen's d effect sizes were large for some social resources and subjective well-being domains. Overall, these results provide evidence suggesting that both the CIT and BIT could be used to assess psychological well-being among Turkish young adults.

What Role Do Language Learning Mindsets Play in English Medium Instruction? A Comparison of Engineering and Business Administration in Turkey

This article explores the relationship between Turkish undergraduate students’ language learning mindsets, English language achievement, and English medium instruction (EMI) academic success. Student test score data on an EMI course and an English language course were collected from fourth year students studying mechatronics engineering (n = 68) and business administration (n = 75) at a public university. Students also responded to the Language Learning Mindsets Inventory (Lou & Noels, 2019). Regression analyses revealed that both incremental (positively) and entity (negatively) mindsets predicted academic success in engineering. Neither mindset was a statistically significant predictor of mechatronics engineering students’ English language achievement. Business administration students’ academic success and English language achievement were both statistically significantly predicted by both incremental (positively) and entity (negatively) mindsets. These results are discussed according to discipline-based differences in EMI courses and pedagogical implications are explored.

‘Am I aware of my roles as a learner?’ the relationships of learner autonomy, self-direction and goal commitment to academic achievement among Turkish EFL learners

This study explores the relationships between learner autonomy (LA), self-directed learning (SDL), goal commitment (GC) and academic achievement in English and also examines the scores which Turkish EFL learners obtained on selected measures according to demographic variables. The participants were 248 English-major Turkish undergraduate students. A mixed-method, embedded design was chosen for this study. The participants completed the Autonomous Learning Scale, the Self-Directed Learning Scale, the Commitment Scale and three open-ended questions regarding their perceptions of LA and SDL in foreign-language learning. The results showed that LA, SDL and GC are all correlated with academic achievement and with each other, with the strongest correlation found between LA and SDL. The findings also revealed statistically significant relationships between Turkish EFL learners’ LA scores and all the demographic variables. Furthermore, students’ open-ended responses regarding LA and SDL failed to provide particular examples of how learners exercise control over their language learning. Most of the participants in the study were aware of autonomy and self-direction and had an understanding and perception of both LA and SDL. A major implication of this study is that language learners’ autonomous learning within but more importantly beyond the classroom should be encouraged.

Understanding the role of personality in explaining L2 learners’ DMC disposition

AbstractRecent years have seen a growing research interest in the notion of directed motivational currents (DMCs) that defines highly intense motivational surges oriented to a much‐desired goal of personal significance. However, the learner characteristics that induce individual‐level variability in DMCs have yet to be explored. In particular, the role of personality in explaining variations in the DMC disposition remains empirically unresolved. The current study addresses this gap by looking at whether the five‐factor model (FFM) personality traits help explain variations in the DMC disposition among 172 Turkish undergraduate students majoring in teaching English as a foreign language (EFL) at a state university in Turkey. Data were gathered using the 50‐item version of International Personality Item Pool (IPIP) and the 12‐item DMC Disposition Scale. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that personality traits significantly predicted variability in the DMC disposition, together accounting for 42% of the variance. Conscientiousness and extraversion appeared as the strongest predictors. The findings in general bring preliminary insights into the learner characteristics that underlie individual‐level variability in DMCs, as well as having implications in particular for facilitating individual‐level DMC practices in the context of second/foreign language (L2) learning.

Childhood trauma, depressive symptoms and rational /irrational beliefs: A moderated mediation model

The current study focuses on the vulnerability role of irrational beliefs and the protective role of rational beliefs in the relationship between childhood trauma and depressive symptoms in a sample of Turkish undergraduate students (N = 338). The findings provide additional evidence to diathesis-stress model of rational emotive behavioral therapy (REBT). The findings indicate that irrational beliefs play moderating roles in the relationships between childhood trauma and depressive symptoms. Irrational beliefs, especially the secondary irrational thinking process, also mediate the relationship between childhood trauma and depressive symptoms. The indirect effect of childhood trauma on depressive symptoms via irrational beliefs may change depending upon the level of rational beliefs. The theoretical contributions and clinical implications of this study are discussed in detail.

Determinants of perceived stress in health professional students during the COVID-19 pandemic

<abstract><sec> <title>Objective</title> There is not enough information in the literature about perceived stress among health professional students during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to determine the level of perceived stress and its determinants in Turkish undergraduate health professional students during the pandemic. </sec><sec> <title>Methods</title> This cross-sectional, online survey study included 402 undergraduate health professional students. Data were collected using a personal information form, the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), the Contentment with Life Assessment Scale, and the Ways of Coping Inventory. Descriptive statistics, Mann–Whitney U test, Student's t-test, one-way analysis of variance, correlation coefficients, and linear regression analysis were used for data analysis. </sec><sec> <title>Results</title> The PSS mean score of the students was 32.95 ± 7.34, and 98.2% reported moderate-to-high levels of stress. The significant determinants of stress were younger age (unstandardized β = −0.23, p = 0.035), poor self-rated health (unstandardized β = 1.60, p = 0.005), the presence of sleep problems (unstandardized β = 1.22, p = 0.021), the history of direct contact with suspected COVID-19 patients or infected materials (unstandardized β = 5.82, p &lt; 0.001), following the news about the pandemic closely (unstandardized β = 0.60, p = 0.041), lower life satisfaction (unstandardized β = −0.32, p &lt; 0.001), and lower use of optimistic coping (unstandardized β = −3.24, p &lt; 0.001) but greater use of helpless coping (unstandardized β = 3.31, p &lt; 0.001). The regression model explained 57.6% of the variance in perceived stress. </sec><sec> <title>Conclusions</title> The level of perceived stress was relatively high among health professional students. This study highlighted the need for psychological support to reduce the level of perceived stress in this population during the COVID-19 pandemic. </sec></abstract>

The impact of narrow personality traits on entrepreneurial intention in developing countries: A comparison of Turkish and Iranian undergraduate students using ordered discrete choice models

This study aimed to examine the potential determinants of the entrepreneurial intention (EI) levels of Turkish and Iranian undergraduate students with an emphasis on the narrow personality traits that could predict such students’ EI levels. For this purpose, a well-established written questionnaire was administered to a total of 875 undergraduate students from both countries. Due to the ordered nature of the dependent variable, the data were analyzed using the ordered logit, generalized ordered logit, and partial proportional odds models. The results of the study showed significant differences between the Turkish and Iranian undergraduate students’ EI levels. That is, the presence of an entrepreneur in the family increased the Turkish undergraduate students’ EI levels whereas the Turkish undergraduate students whose household heads were government officials or retirees had lower EI levels than those whose parents were self-employed. The Turkish undergraduate students who saw themselves as having much enthusiasm and having the tendency to become tense and to do things efficiently had a higher intention to found a business venture in the near future compared to those who did not have such traits. In contrast, the Turkish students who saw themselves as having the tendency to persevere until their task is finished, to be moody, and to make plans and implement them had lower EI levels than those who did not have these traits. Openness (with significant narrow personality traits such as having the tendency to be original, to come up with new ideas, and to have an active imagination) was found to be the Big Five personality trait with the greatest positive impact on the Iranian undergraduate students’ EI levels whereas the Iranian undergraduate students who saw themselves as ingenious, deep thinkers, and worriers had lower EI levels. It was also shown in this study that the Iranian undergraduate students with a monthly income from a job in addition to their stipend from their family were more likely to have higher EI levels than those whose monthly funds came only from their parents. In addition, the male Iranian students were found to have lower EI levels than their female counterparts. This study contributed to the existing literature by conducting a cross-cultural comparison of two developing countries using the ordered discrete choice modeling approaches, and its empirical findings may assist policymakers in coming up with effective policies for promoting entrepreneurship.

Academic career awareness and academic career interest among Turkish undergraduate students

This study aimed to determine to what extent undergraduate students’ level of academic career awareness and demographic variables predicted their level of academic career interest. The sample consisted of 3,696 students studying at 16 faculties, who were 3rd- and 4th-year undergraduate students from Akdeniz University in the fall semester of 2019–2020, and where the necessary permissions could be obtained from the faculty deanships for the application of the scales. The Academic Career Awareness Scale and Academic Career Interest Scale were used as data collection tools. The results obtained from the study were as follows: the level of undergraduate students’ academic career awareness was low and their level of academic career interest was above average. It was determined that the level of academic career interest of the undergraduate students changed according to their gender, grade level and their level of academic career awareness. When the demographic variables were measured, the level of academic career awareness explained the level of academic career interest. According to this result, it could be said that undergraduate students should have knowledge about academic career in order to be interested in an academic career.&#x0D; Keywords: Academic career, academic career interest, academic career knowledge, academic career awareness, postgraduate education

Turkish Version of the Revised and Short Indebtedness Scale (ISR-S): Translation, Validity, Measurement Invariance and Reliability Studies for Turkish University Students

The purpose of this study was twofold: (1) to translate the Revised and Short version of the Indebtedness Scale (ISR-S) into the Turkish language and to assess its psychometric properties, and (2) to use this scale to explore the relationship of indebtedness with gratitude, happiness, and life satisfaction in Turkish culture. Four data sets covering a total of 883 Turkish university students were used. Construct validity of the Turkish ISR-S was assessed by using confirmatory factor and multigroup invariance analyses, and Pearson correlation test between the measure of negative affect and the ISR-S. To examine the reliability of the scale, Cronbach's coefficient alpha was used as an indicator of internal consistency, and also test-retest reliability computed over a period of four-week. The results indicated that there is psychometric evidence for the unidimensional 9-item structure of the ISR-S in Turkish undergraduate students. Indebtedness was not found to be significantly correlated with gratitude, happiness and life satisfaction.

When Does Imagined Contact Reduce Prejudice?

Abstract. Imagined contact has been argued to reduce prejudice. Although extant research supports this argument, replication attempts have been unsuccessful. To resolve conflicting evidence from previous studies, this study examined the effect of imagined contact on explicit and implicit prejudice against Kurds and Syrians in Turkey. Using data from 335 Turkish undergraduate students, the moderating role of ethnic and national identification in the imagined contact effect was tested. Results indicated that imagined contact did not reduce prejudice, and in-group identification did not have a moderating effect, even after controlling for actual contact. These findings call for a theoretical refinement to the imagined contact hypothesis and emphasize the need for further research to advance our understanding of when imagined contact works.

Learning Difficulties in German as a Third Language Experienced by Turkish Undergraduate Students

The current study aims to investigate learning difficulties in L3 German experienced by the Turkish undergraduate students. The target group involved 29 students from three academic programs at a state university in Turkey: Travel Management and Tourist Guiding, Tourism and Hotel Management and Aviation Management. In the study, semi-structured interview form was designed by the researcher as data collection tool. In the analysis process of the data, the thematic analysis procedure was conducted. The results of the study indicated that the Turkish undergraduate students had learning difficulties in L3 German due to three main factors such as linguistic facts, effective factors and external factors. The linguistic facts involve the learning difficulties related to the linguistic characteristics of German language, linguistic habitus (effect of L2 English) and the effect of L1. In the context of effective factors, it was discussed that the lack of motivation, negative attitudes towards German language, the level of readiness for learning L3 German and the lack of self-confidence lead the students to experience negative learning process in L3 German. Finally, socio-cultural developments and the financial matters emerging in the learning environment were considered as external factors that lead the students to have difficulties in learning L3 German.

The Third-Person Perception of Sex Appeals in Hedonic and Utilitarian Product Ads

Ads making use of sexual appeals have the potential to attract attention, but they also run the risk of offending viewers. In this paper, two studies were performed to explore consumers’ third-person perceptions of sexual appeals in advertising for hedonic and utilitarian products. This research examined whether the third-person perception mediates the relationship between attitude toward the ad and purchase intention. We also examined whether these relationships are contingent on attitude toward sexual stimuli (positive vs. negative). Canadian (N = 400) and Turkish (N = 400) undergraduate students participated in each study. Findings consistently demonstrate that third-person phenomenon was supported in each study. The exact form of the third-person perception, however, differs across product types and cultural contexts. Also, attitude toward ads significantly affects third-person perception. In turn, third-person perception significantly affects both purchase intention on self and purchase intention on others. Furthermore, these relationships are contingent on the attitude toward sexual stimuli.

Environmental segmentation: young millennials’ profile in an emerging economy

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to segment young millennials in an emerging economy based on their environmental attitudes and purchase intentions. The study also attempts to describe the segments and highlight their differences in terms of happiness, frugality, environmental locus of control, and environmental knowledge.Design/methodology/approachThe study sample consisted of 227 Turkish undergraduate students. A two-step cluster analysis was performed on environmental attitudes and purchase intentions scores. The differences among the clusters were then examined according to happiness, frugality, environmental locus of control, and environmental knowledge variables.FindingsA two-step cluster analysis identified three clusters, namely, “non-greens”, “reluctant greens” and “true greens”, all of whom differed in terms of environmental attitudes and purchase intentions. Non-greens (n = 16) and true greens (n = 121) yielded the lowest and the highest scores for environmental attitudes and purchase intentions, respectively. Three clusters also differed significantly in terms of frugality. Environmental knowledge levels of non-greens differed from those of reluctant greens and true greens. There is no significant difference regarding happiness and environmental locus of control among clusters.Practical implicationsLocal and international companies interested in marketing green products to young millennials in emerging economies may enhance their understanding of non-green and green young millennials in the target markets and differentiate their marketing strategies for each segment.Originality/valueGiven the need for a better understanding of young millennials’ environmental behavior in an emerging economy, the current study contributes to the literature by segmenting young Turkish millennials based on their environmental attitudes and purchase intentions, further describing the consumer segments with different variables such as happiness, frugality, environmental locus of control and environmental knowledge.

Türkiye’de Ebeveynlik Desenleri: Akademik Başarı ve Benlik Saygısı ile İlişkisi

Family parenting patterns and child developmental outcomes have been examined in several studies in Western countries. Research shows mixed results on whether mothers and fathers under the same roof display congruent or incongruent parenting styles. Moreover, previous research shows that being raised by two authoritative parents is linked with the most positive outcomes. However, there is no study examining either family parenting patterns in non-Western cultures or whether such family parenting patterns would differ based on the child’s gender. Thus, the current study aimed to identify family parenting patterns for daughters and sons in Turkey, as well as how these family parenting patterns were linked to academic achievement and self-esteem. The sample included 195 Turkish undergraduate students (95 male and 100 female). The participants reported perceived maternal and paternal parenting styles using Buri’s Parental Authority Scale, their self-esteem using Rosenberg’s Self-esteem Scale, and academic achievement. Two-step cluster analysis revealed four different clusters; two clusters for females and two clusters for males. The clusters for females are congruent authoritative pattern and congruent authoritarian pattern while the clusters for males are congruent authoritative pattern and congruent permissive pattern. Two separate ANCOVAs showed that among same-gender groups, there was no significant difference either in college GPA or in self-esteem scores of participants. These findings suggest that authoritarian parenting might not be negatively associated with developmental outcome in Turkey. The current study’s strengths and limitations and the implications for future research are discussed.

Procrastination and Rational/Irrational Beliefs: A Moderated Mediation Model

The present study focuses on the integrated effect of self-doubt, rational and irrational beliefs, and fear of failure on procrastination in a sample of Turkish undergraduate students (N = 293). The results confirm prior evidence indicating that self-doubt, fear of failure, and rational/irrational beliefs were important predictors of procrastination. The results show that (a) both self-doubt and irrational beliefs have direct and interactive effects on fear of failure, (b) fear of failure mediates the relationship between self-doubt and procrastination, (c) rational beliefs moderated the predictive effect of fear of failure on procrastination, and (d) the indirect effect of self-doubt on procrastination via fear of failure may vary depending on the level of rational and irrational beliefs. These findings suggest that future intervention attempts should focus on modifying irrational beliefs and enhancing rational beliefs to cope with procrastination.

The Protective Role of Rational Beliefs on the Relationship Between Irrational Beliefs, Emotional States of Stress, Depression and Anxiety

The current study focuses on the protective role of rational beliefs in the relationship between irrational beliefs and negative emotional states (stress, depression and anxiety) in a sample of Turkish undergraduate students (N = 440). The findings suggest that irrational beliefs, especially the need for achievement, the need for approval, and the need for comfort, are important predictors of negative emotional states (stress, depression, and anxiety). The findings also provide additional evidence for the protective role of rational beliefs. Findings suggest that rational beliefs have a moderator role in the relationship between irrational beliefs and negative emotional states (stress, depression and anxiety). Contributions and the implications of this study were discussed in detail.

The relationship between internet addiction, social anxiety, impulsivity, self-esteem, and depression in a sample of Turkish undergraduate medical students

Internet addiction (IA) is currently becoming a serious mental health problem. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of IA among undergraduate medical students and evaluate the relationship of IA with social anxiety, impulsivity, self-esteem, and depression. The study included 392 undergraduate medical students. Evaluations were made with the sociodemographic data form, the Internet Addiction Test (IAT), the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale (LSAS), the Barratt Impulsivity Scale-11 (BIS-11), the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES), the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI). The IA group had significantly higher scores on LSAS, BDI, BAI and lower scores on RSES than the control group but the BIS-11 scores were similar among groups. IAT severity was positively correlated with LSAS, BDI, and BAI and negatively with RSES. No correlation was observed between IAT severity and BIS-11. In the hierarchical linear regression analysis, the avoidance domain of social anxiety was the strongest predictor of the severity of IA. The present study suggests that undergraduate medical students with IA exhibit higher social anxiety, lower self-esteem and are more depressed than those without IA, thus, indicating that social anxiety, rather than impulsivity, seemed to play a prominent role in IA psychopathology.

Need satisfaction as a mediator between classroom goal structures and students' optimal educational experience

Goal-related messages in a classroom are associated with students' experiences and functioning in learning. However, little is known about need satisfaction as a mediator that translates the classroom messages into students' optimal educational experience. In the present studies, we investigated in a sample of 171 (in Study 1) and 255 (in Study 2) Turkish undergraduate students (60% females; Mage = 19.79, SD = 1.68 and 45% females, Mage = 19.75, SD = 1.67 respectively), the relation of classroom goal structures to students' educational satisfaction (or vitality) and state flow through their experience of need satisfaction considering it as the psychological mediator. Path analysis with bootstrap showed that mastery goal structures (i.e., classroom environment focuses on learning and self-improvement) were positively related to need satisfaction while performance goal structures (i.e., classroom environment focuses on normative success) were either negatively related (Study 1) or unrelated (Study 2) to need satisfaction. Path analysis with bootstrap also showed that mastery goal structures were related to vitality, educational satisfaction and flow in class-related tasks through need satisfaction. Understanding need satisfaction as a mediator of classroom goal structures and optimal educational experience help teachers to reconsider their goal-related messages in the classroom.