Social Adaptation and Its Association with Loneliness and Anxiety: A Pre–Post Evaluation of the Target Friendship Program for International Students

The social adaptation of international students is a critical responsibility for universities, which also cater to the international community. A systems approach, together with management functions such as planning, organizing, directing, coordinating, and controlling, may provide a valuable framework to address this issue. One of the areas where students experience significant challenges is during their initial enrolment in college, particularly in relation to social adjustment. This study examined the impact of the Target Friendship Program, a structured peer-mentoring and support initiative, on international students’ experiences of loneliness and anxiety. An explanatory sequential mixed-methods design was employed: 60 students completed pre- and post-program assessments using the Beck Anxiety Inventory and the UCLA Loneliness Scale within a six-month pre-post framework, followed by in-depth interviews with 20 students randomly selected among volunteers. Data were collected at baseline and immediately after the program ended. Quantitative analyses indicated that participation in the program was associated with a significantly lower loneliness score, while no significant change was observed in anxiety levels. Interview data revealed that personal life circumstances had a stronger influence on students' anxiety than university experiences. These findings highlight that structured peer-based adaptation programs are associated with alleviating loneliness, though their impact on anxiety may be limited. The Target Friendship Program provides a practical model that can inform future research on peer-mentoring interventions, longitudinal evaluations of social adaptation, and the development of culturally sensitive tools for assessing well-being in international student populations.