Theoretical adaptation of Sehnsucht (Life longing) to another culture: Integrating küse (Özlem) in cultural well-being

This study mainly carried out the theoretical adaptation of Sehnsucht (life longings) while introducing the Turkish equivalent Küse (özlem). In the study, quantitative data were used to analyze the cultural and psychological dimensions of life longings. The research aims to measure the construct of Sehnsucht in the Turkish cultural context through questionnaires and open-ended questions. It is proposed that Sehnsucht play important roles in the psychological well-being and life satisfaction of individuals living in their own culture. In order to examine the factor structure of longing and its relationship with the variables that are theoretically expected to be related, the data presented by the sample consisting of a total of 308 people, 77.6% of whom were female (N = 239) and 21.1% of whom were male (N = 65), were utilized. Participants' age ranged between 20 and 70, with mean age of 32.30 (SD = 13.73). As a result of Principal Components Analysis, the four-factor structure was found to be appropriate. This study constitutes a first step towards the adaptation of the life longing construct which could provide valuable information for policy makers and practitioners in the domains of mental health, well-being and cross-cultural psychology. By accepting these culturally-based concepts and integrating them into welfare interventions, it becomes possible to design more culturally sensitive and effective strategies that can improve life outcomes and promote efficient life-management for individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds.