‘‘Strengthening Connections’’: The Moderating Role of Leisure Satisfaction in the Relationship between Adjustment to University Life and Sense of Belonging

The aim of the present study is to examine the moderating role of leisure satisfaction in the relationship between adjustment to university life and sense of belonging through the lens of Self-Determination Theory. A total of 758 (Mean=21.25±2.51) university students, 318 female and 440 male, participated in the study conducted with the relational model. In order to collect data in the study, personal information form, ‘‘Adjustment to University Life Scale (AULS)’’, ‘‘Sense of Belonging Scale (SBS)’’ and ‘‘Leisure Satisfaction Scale (LSS)’’ were used. Structural equation model (SEM) was created within the scope of the research. After the basic assumption of parametric tests, SPSS Process Macro (Model 1) was used in addition to descriptive statistics. According to the analysis results, it was determined that adjustment to university life (β = 0.72, p < .01) and leisure satisfaction (β = 0.23, p < .01) had positive and significant effects on the level of sense of belonging. However, it was determined that the moderating role of leisure satisfaction in the effect of adjustment to university life on the level of sense of belonging was significant (β = 0.26, p < .01). In cases where leisure satisfaction is high, the effect of adjustment to university life on the level of sense of belonging is greater (β = 0.95, p < .01). As a result, it has been suggested that increasing the leisure satisfaction levels of university students in campus environments can make practical and theoretical significant contributions to their adjustment to university life and sense of belonging.