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. 2025 Sep 24;25(1):3086.
doi: 10.1186/s12889-025-24450-0.

Silent prejudices: exploring xenophobic attitudes and predictors among university students

Muzaffer Berna Doğan  1 , Ruşen Ayata Küçükbükücü  2
Affiliations

Silent prejudices: exploring xenophobic attitudes and predictors among university students

Muzaffer Berna Doğan et al. BMC Public Health. .

Abstract

Aim: This study aims to examine the prevalence and predictors of xenophobic attitudes among university students in Türkiye.

Method: A correlational and cross-sectional design was employed with 603 undergraduate students selected via convenience sampling. Data were collected through an online questionnaire between November 2022 and June 2023. The Xenophobia Scale was used, and data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and stepwise linear regression. The study followed STROBE guidelines.

Results: Findings revealed that male students and Turkish nationals exhibited significantly higher xenophobic attitudes. Xenophobia decreased with age and increased with higher maternal education levels and the desire to work abroad. Intercultural contact, particularly friendships with foreigners and social media communication, was associated with reduced xenophobia. The final regression model accounted for 14.7% of the variance in xenophobic attitudes. Several variables, such as marital status, academic department, and contact with migrants in one's environment, were excluded from the final model due to lack of statistical significance.

Conclusion: This study provides preliminary insights into factors associated with xenophobic attitudes in higher education. It contributes to the literature by integrating social identity theory, contact theory, and threat theory. Educational institutions should implement structured intercultural programs to foster empathy and reduce bias. Future research should explore additional ideological and media-related predictors using theory-driven analytical models.

Keywords: Attitudes; Cross-sectional studies; Students; University; Xenophobia.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: The study was conducted in accordance with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki. Ethical approval was obtained from the Istanbul Arel University Ethics Committee (Approval number: 2022/13, Date: August 5, 2022). Data were collected via an online questionnaire, which included an informed consent statement on the first page. Participants were informed about the purpose, scope, voluntary nature, and anonymity of the study before proceeding. Only individuals who gave their explicit consent by clicking the “I agree to participate” option were able to continue and complete the survey. Consent for publication: Not applicable. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests.

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