The Use of Factor Analysis and Cluster Analysis Methods to Identify the Most Crucial Key Factors Influencing the Psychological Stability of University Students

Abstract

Abstract-This research aimed to use factor analysis and cluster analysis approaches to evaluate the crucial components influencing the psychological stability of students at Salahaddin University-Erbil. To obtain our data, we selected a sample size of 149 students and surveyed them with twenty-two items about their psychological stability. According to the findings of both methods, six common factors or clusters influence the psychological stability of students labeled (Anxiety, Satisfaction, Relationship, Health, Simplicity, and Participation). Furthermore, according to the results of both methods, the first factor and the first cluster, anxiety, have the most significant effect on the psychological stability of university students compared to the other variables. Consequently, it is suggested that universities should emphasize the psychological stability of students and provide training courses for academic staff by educational and psychological experts so that they can treat the students better and understand their psychological instability situations.