The Impact of Spatial Quality Satisfaction on Place Attachment in Student Dormitories: A Structural Equation Modeling Approach

This study develops and tests factor-based and holistic theoretical models to explain the relationships between Spatial Quality Satisfaction (SQS), Overall Dormitory Satisfaction (ODS), and Place Attachment (PA) in student dormitories. Data were collected from 450 students residing in five state-run dormitories in Kırklareli, Turkey, using a questionnaire consisting of three 5-point Likert-type scales. Content validity was ensured through expert review and a pilot study, while construct validity and reliability were established using Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), and Cronbach’s alpha. The proposed models were tested using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). The factor-based Model 1 indicates that most SQS factors do not significantly influence ODS and PA when considered individually, whereas “Emotional and Psychological Atmosphere” and “Flexibility of Use” emerge as key determinants. Additionally, ODS exerts a strong and positive effect on PA. Conversely, the holistic Model 2 demonstrates that SQS, when treated as an integrated construct, has a robust and significant effect on both ODS and PA, with ODS playing a critical mediating role in the relationship between SQS and PA. Overall, the findings suggest that enhancing student dormitories through a holistic SQS approach is more effective than interventions focused solely on individual spatial dimensions.