Social integration, adaptation, and satisfaction with university life in first-year students at a university in southern Chile

Although enrollment in higher education in Chile has been increasing, there is currently a dropout rate of approximately 25% during the first year of university. Previous studies indicate that these dropout levels are related to academic, psychological, and social factors, such as adaptation to university life and students’ social integration. However, the role that social integration may play in the relationship between adaptation to university life and life satisfaction among students at a regional university in southern Chile remains unclear. The aim of the study was to examine the moderating role of social integration in the relationship between adaptation to university life and satisfaction with university life, while also exploring its potential mediating role in first-year students from the Faculty of Health Sciences who participate in the Host Peer Program. Through a quantitative, cross-sectional, descriptive-correlational study, 235 participants completed an online survey. Descriptive and group difference analyses were conducted. The results indicate that social integration moderates the relationship between adaptation and satisfaction with university life. In contrast, the mediation analysis showed that social integration does not mediate this relationship; however, social integration was positively associated with higher levels of satisfaction with university life. These findings contribute to understanding how these variables are related during the first year of university in a regional context and highlight the relevance of promoting social integration as a key factor for students’ well-being.