College Adaptation Among Colombian Freshmen Students: Internal Structure of the Student Adaptation to College Questionnaire (SACQ)

Abstract

The aim of this research is to assess the internal structure and reliability of the Student Adaptation to College Questionnaire (SACQ) in a sample comprising 739 students (64% of them women), attending second-half classes at a private university in the Caribbean Region of Colombia. The SACQ is a 67-item self-report that evaluates four aspects related to university adjustment namely, the academic, institutional, social, and personal-emotional areas. To fulfill its goals, different measurement models were assessed through various confirmatory factor analyses, and the results indicate that the Peruvian model (four dimensions, 27 items) has the best statistical adjustment, presenting evidence in support of its internal structure. Similarly, high reliability indicators were obtained, both with regard to the construct and scoring. In conclusion, the SACQ’s psychometric properties are satisfactory as regards its internal structure (tetra-factorial model) and reliability, enabling its use to evaluate adjustment to college life.