THE CURRENT SITUATION OF DIFFICULTIES IN THE LIVES OF FIRST-YEAR STUDENTS AT HO CHI MINH CITY UNIVERSITY OF SPORT

Abstract

The study surveyed 836 first-year students at Ho Chi Minh City University of Sport, across four majors, using a 5-point Likert scale, Cronbach’s Alpha (α = 0.69), EFA, T-test, and ANOVA. The results showed that the overall level of difficulty was fairly high (x̄ = 3.47), with the most prominent difficulties in daily life and financial issues (x̄ = 3.62). Gender had a significant impact (p < 0.05), with female students experiencing more difficulties than male students in academics and psychological aspects. Living arrangements and family economic conditions had a strong effect (p < 0.001; p < 0.01), while the field of study did not show any differences. The study confirms that student difficulties are multidimensional, providing a basis for proposing appropriate support solutions.