Adaptation to university life, fear of loneliness, and depression in first-year students at a private university in the Peruvian Amazon: a structural equation model
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Introduction The transition to university is a period of heightened psychological vulnerability. This study aimed to examine the association between adaptation to university life, fear of loneliness, and depression in Peruvian first-year university students. Methods A quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted with 345 participants selected through non-probability convenience sampling at a single private university in the Peruvian Amazon. The Student Adaptation to College Questionnaire, the Brief Scale of Fear of Loneliness, and the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 were administered, and data were analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM). Results The proposed model showed an adequate fit [ χ ² (516) = 1,478, p < 0.001, CFI = 0.940, RMSEA = 0.074, SRMR = 0.069]. Personal-emotional adjustment ( β = 0.49, p < 0.001) and social adjustment (β = 0.29, p = 0.003) were positively associated with fear of loneliness, whereas academic adjustment ( β = −0.34, p < 0.001) and institutional adjustment ( β = −0.22, p = 0.001) were negatively associated; in turn, fear of loneliness was positively related to depression (β = 0.81, p < 0.001). Significant gender differences were found in institutional adjustment [ t (343) = 2.597, p = 0.010, d = 0.29] and personal-emotional adjustment [ t (343) = 3.076, p = 0.002, d = 0.34], with women reporting higher levels than men. Discussion The findings position fear of loneliness as a key affective link between first-year students’ adjustment to university and their depressive symptoms, suggesting that early detection and intervention programs focused on adjustment, implemented during the first year, could help mitigate depression in this population.
Source: Frontiers in Psychology
Institution: Universidad Peruana Unión
Language: English
Topic: Student Stress and Coping
Subfield: Developmental and Educational Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,801
OpenAlex ID: W7221763088