A Comparison of the Loneliness Levels of Graduate Turkish Students in the USA and Turkey

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to investigate the differences between the loneliness levels of Turkish graduate students in Turkey and in the United States. Another aim is to examine the differences between loneliness scores of both groups in terms of some psychosocial and demographic variables. The data was collected by administering The University of California Los Angeles Loneliness Scale and a Personal Information Sheet developed by the researcher. The sample consisted of 110 graduate students from different departments of the Faculty of Education at Buca and front different universities in the United States. The results showed no differences between the loneliness scores of these groups. Similarly, the following variables were not related to loneliness level: gender, age, and selected major. However, there was a statistically significant relation between the level of loneliness, holding a scholarship, and perceived number of familiar and close friends. The results of the regression analysis indicate that holding a scholarship and perceived number of familiar and close friends significantly predicted the level of loneliness. The findings are discussed in relation to the other related research.