Tourist Nomads, Leisure Constraints, and Social Cohesion: A Study on International Students Living in Istanbul

This study aims to investigate the social cohesion and leisure constraints among international students studying in Istanbul. The research follows a descriptive study design using a relational survey model, and the sample was selected using the convenience sampling method. The study included a total of 584 participants, with 231 females (39.6%) and 353 males (60.4%), ranging in age from 21 to 56, who were studying at various universities in Istanbul ((X) over bar age = 26.71, sd = 3.36). The data collection tool used in this research consisted of two parts. The first part included questions related to demographic characteristics and recreational participation habits. The second part utilized the Leisure Constraints Questionnaire-Short Form (LCQ-SF) and the Socio-Cultural Adaptation Scale-Revised (SCAS-R). Descriptive statistics, paired t-tests, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) with multiple comparisons, ANOVA tests, and Pearson Correlation tests were employed in the data analysis. Statistical analyses were performed at a 95% confidence interval with a significance level set at p = 0.05. The research findings indicate differences in the socio-cultural adaptation scale and leisure constraint scale scores of international students based on the type of university, regular engagement in recreational activities, membership in social clubs or student societies, and the program of study. Furthermore, the results reveal that as the duration of stay in Turkey increased, the students demonstrated higher socio-cultural adaptation skills while experiencing more leisure constraints with increasing age.