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Homesickness: A review of the literature
Abstract
Synopsis
Homesickness has not received due attention from psychological researchers, in spite of the fact that it is of considerable interest to counsellors and care-givers of those who have migrated or moved temporarily or permanently (e.g. immigrants, refugees, students, soldiers). First, this review addresses the definition of homesickness, the possible different kinds of homesickness, its prevalence rate, and symptomatology, Secondly, an overview is given of the theories that account for psychological distress following leaving home. These theories link homesickness with separation-anxiety and loss, the interruption of lifestyle, reduced control, role change, and internal conflict. In addition, the review focuses on: ( i ) studies that show that subjects reporting homesickness differ from non-homesick persons in terms of personality; ( ii ) the analyses of environmental characteristics that may play a crucial role in the onset and course of homesickness. Thirdly, Fisher's (1989) composite model of homesickness, which summarizes key findings of the major studies on homesickness is discussed. Fourthly, methodological issues are addressed. Finally, suggestions for future research are presented and possibilities for interventions are proposed.
... For a subgroup of medical students, the need to move geographically ('relocate') to enable the acceptance of an offered place can represent an additional transitional stressor (Chew-Graham et al., 2003). Relocation has previously been associated with both psychosocial and economic strains, and the potential to experience homesickness which may be mild for some but significant for others (Stroebe et al., 2015(Stroebe et al., , 2016Van Tilburg et al., 1996). ...
... Early UK studies suggested 60-70% (Fisher, 2016), but reports range from 19%-94% (English et al., 2017;Stroebe et al., 2002). Homesickness may exacerbate existing conditions or lead to new ones (Thurber & Walton, 2012) such as physical, cognitive, behavioural, and emotional symptoms (Van Tilburg et al., 1996, 1999, including anxiety, depression, concentration and memory problems, neurotic behaviour, and social isolation. Unsurprisingly, homesick students can be at risk of reduced academic performance or even course attrition (Sun et al., 2017), which may pose long term consequences for future academic prospects and employment (Atkinson, 2020;Azizi, 2016;English et al., 2017). ...
... That is, if early intervention to ameliorate negative psychological consequences is a desired outcome, the evaluation of anticipatory homesickness prior to, or soon after, relocation may be possible. Van Tilburg et al. (1996), for example, describe 'anticipation homesickness' as obsessive thoughts about the old environment, experienced before having left, that inhibit exploration of, and adaptation to, a new environment (Van Tilburg, 2005). Other research also acknowledges the anticipation of leaving home in descriptions of homesickness (Van Vliet, 2001), and anticipatory homesickness has been included in prevention programs offered prior to participants leaving home (Thurber, 2005). ...
Successful adaptation to new surroundings can be restricted by the experience of anticipatory homesickness. This may be particularly compromising in a high-stake learning environment such as medicine. This study sought to record the prevalence of anticipatory homesickness among commencing medical students, its association with psychological distress, and whether resilience mediates this association. A questionnaire comprising sociodemographic details, and items concerning homesickness, resilience and psychological distress was completed by graduate entry students at two Australian universities who had relocated to commence their medical studies (N = 75, 64% women). Psychological distress was negatively related to resilience and positively related to anticipatory homesickness. Only one resilience measure (Perception of Self) was related to anticipatory homesickness, but it demonstrated full mediation such that psychological distress was evident only in the presence of low Perception of Self. Screening and subsequent preventative programs targeting self-perception may be an appropriate check on wellbeing, enabling timely intervention to reduce psychological distress and potential adverse academic outcomes. Potential programs are discussed through the lens of social inclusion.
... Apart from immediate psychological shock, the prolonged experience of anxiety and loneliness under seclusion and immobility gives rise to homesickness (Sagapolutele & Kelleher, 2020), considering that the isolated environment represents an enlarged demand for psychological resources used in the coping process. Manifested as an adverse emotional state when an individual longs for home (Van Tilburg et al., 1996), homesickness remains overlooked in the tourism literature. Yousaf (2021) contends that travel to other locales requires psychological adaptation to new environmental demands, as it denotes a shift from a home environment to an unfamiliar one. ...
... (1) as a personal trait (e.g., a self-reported tendency) and (2) as a state characterized by depressive symptoms (Verschuur et al., 2004). In most research, homesickness is predominantly studied as a state of distress with an intense longing for home and rising somatic complaints (Van Tilburg et al., 1996). Homesickness is likely to happen in a variety of scenarios-for example, the commencement of boarding school, change in residence, migration, and travel fatigue during a long journey (Van Tilburg et al., 1999). ...
... Individuals may experience low control in such a place where they hardly know how to cope with the new demands. Insecurity and anxiety are accompanied by a feeling of reduced mastery over the environment, and consequently homesickness is aroused (Van Tilburg et al., 1996). In this circumstance, homesickness is considered "a response to strain, created by changed circumstances over which individuals feel they have little or no control" (Van Tilburg et al., 1996, p. 904). ...
What happens when a tourist is stranded at a destination and prevented from returning home? We refer to such an individual as the “castaway tourist,” who is experiencing the above situation due to border/city lockdown or other extenuating circumstances. This inquiry builds upon control theory to unpack a homesickness remedy process under severe environmental duress. It draws on a multiwave design with data from three periods to identify a process in which castaway tourists experience psychological uneasiness, leading to travel homesickness and regret. Findings further reveal that place attachment moderates the relationships between COVID worries and subsequent homesickness and travel regret. Together, this study presents a timely examination of homesickness-induced tourism attributed to mega crises. It brings nuanced insights into the literature by introducing the notion of castaway tourists, while uncovering how adverse travel circumstances could turn into motivational forces that promote future home-province/state travel opportunities in turbulent times.
... Such endeavors will facilitate the development of evidence-based interventions to support workers, fostering work environments characterized by inclusivity, connection, and a sense of belonging. & Vingerhoets, A. J. (1996). ...
Homesickness is a common experience for employees who move for a job. We provide an integrative review of the literature on employee homesickness to offer four main contributions. First, we undertake a state-of-the-art review that integrates the disparate literature on homesickness, focusing on its antecedents, consequences, underlying mechanisms, and moderating influences. Second, we clarify the concept of homesickness and differentiate it from neighboring concepts to advance theory development and facilitate its measurement. Third, we integrate Conservation of Resources theory with the homesickness model to provide robust and parsimonious theoretical accounts relating homesickness to its antecedents and outcomes. Finally, we use this integrative framework to generate a promising agenda for future research, thus forging meaningful connections to other domains and stimulating theoretical and empirical advancements.
... The essence of music therapy is that the music therapist must select appropriate music to create scenarios that elicit emotional responses from the patient. The intensity of these responses can be amplified by the neurophysiology arousal responses in the patient's brain [26]. Homesickness is generally considered a psychological condition and belongs to the field of psychiatry. ...
Featured Application
The sound therapy interaction design model proposed in this study contributes to the medical field from a design perspective by suggesting new therapeutic methods for coping with homesickness to be learned and applied. For the practical aspect, it can be widely applied to the development of other products to help people cope with homesickness more easily and have a better therapy experience, which psychologically closes the distance between people in different places and their homes and prevents nostalgia from developing into more serious psychological problems to some extent.
Abstract
Research in the field of psychological health care has confirmed that chronic homesickness can exacerbate emotional problems. However, there is a lack of diverse products in the design field that can effectively address the issue of alleviating homesickness. This study explores how interaction design can mitigate homesickness-related anxiety while delivering a good user experience, from an application-driven perspective. An inclusive design approach was adopted. Firstly, an online survey was conducted in China through social media platforms (WeChat and websites), and 323 responses were analyzed to examine Chinese preferences for sounds that alleviate homesickness and the influence of various characteristics on the perception of hometown sounds. Secondly, personas were created to capture user needs. Based on regional differences, local sound characteristics, and adaptation to various audience backgrounds, this study examined the effects of these sounds on alleviating homesickness across different scenarios and proposed a sound therapy design model. The practical application of this model was demonstrated through the HomeSeek app, which provides personalized therapeutic experiences. Finally, an application usability test was conducted. The findings indicated that 92.5% of participants were satisfied with the homesickness therapy experience, demonstrating its effectiveness in alleviating homesickness and providing strong support for the research model.
... 4 Homesickness affects individuals in multiple aspects, including physical (eg, gastrointestinal upset, sleep disturbances and headaches), cognitive (eg, negative thoughts and distraction), behavioral (eg, apathy, burnout and adjusting difficulties) and mental problems (eg, depression, anxiety, and loneliness). [5][6][7][8][9] There is not a generally acknowledged concept of homesickness in previous research. Fisher et al defined homesickness as the cognitive-emotional-motivational distress created by leaving home, characterized by preoccupation with home and accompanied by grief-like symptoms. ...
Introduction
Homesickness is a result of migration, and is related to adjustment difficulties and health problems, as well as clinical disorders. The aim of this study was to measure and explore the homesickness of Chinese elderly.
Methods
A total of 355 non-local Chinese elderly in Shenzhen were recruited to measure demographic information and homesickness. and tested for reliability and validity. Patterns and influences of homesickness among Chinese elderly were explored through latent profile analysis and One-way ANOVA on the basis of EHQ.
Results
A three-factor structure was verified in the 19-item elderly homesickness questionnaire (EHQ), namely “positive contact”, “refusal to separate” and “homesickness behavior”. The EHQ reports high validity and reliability. Chinese elderly had a high degree of homesickness, and homesickness among Chinese elderly varied significantly across variables such as age, occupation, and education level. Four homesickness patterns were found in Chinese elderly, named low homesick group, moderate homesick group, middle-high homesick group, and high homesick group. Coming from rural/urban areas and living with grandchildren are factors that affect classification.
Conclusion
The present study reveals the high validity and reliability of the EHQ among Chinese elderly. The Chinese elderly reported high levels of homesickness, which varied significantly across levels of demographic factors. Four patterns of homesickness were found among the Chinese elderly, coming from rural/urban areas and living with grandchildren are the factors that affect classification. There may be a masking of the male contribution to the main effect due to the larger female sample.
... Penelitian tersebut juga menunjukkan bahwa tingginya level keinginan pulang ke rumah merupakan gambaran penting mengenai kehidupan lapas dan perlu ditangani dalam kaitan dengan keselamatan dan kesehatan WBP. (van Tilburg et al., 1996). Keinginan pulang ke rumah meliputi reaksi individu terhadap sejumlah keadaan yang melibatkan pemisahan dari orang dan tempat yang dikenal dan dicintai (Archer et al., 1998). ...
Warga binaan pemasyarakatan menghadapi masalah penyesuaian dengan lingkungan baru ketika pertama kali berada di lapas. Salah satu reaksi psikologis yang muncul akibat berpisah dari lingkungan lama dan proses penyesuaian adalah keinginan pulang ke rumah. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui dinamika keinginan pulang ke rumah yang dialami warga binaan pemasyarakatan di lapas. Penelitian ini menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif deskriptif yang melibatkan empat orang responden dengan kriteria usia antara 20-30 tahun. Pengumpulan data dilakukan melalui wawancara dan hasil yang diperoleh dilakukan analisis tematik. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa terdapat lima kategori keinginan pulang ke rumah yaitu ingatan tentang rumah dan keluarga, keinginan kumpul dengan keluarga, perasaan tentang lapas, emosi yang dialami, dan tindakan mengurangi rasa rindu rumah. Prisoners face problems adjusting to a new environment when they enter prison. One of the psychological reactions that arises as a result of separating from the old environment and the adjustment process is homesickness. This research aims to determine the dynamics of homesickness experienced by prisoners in prison. This research used a descriptive qualitative approach involving four respondents with age criteria between 20-30 years. The results showed that there are five categories of homesickness, namely memories of home and family, desire to be with family, feelings about prison, emotions experienced, and actions to reduce homesickness.
... Extroversion, openness to experience, and neuroticism have been identified as predictors influencing students' psychosocial adjustment, with potential implications for various dimensions of mental health ( Notably, personality variables may influence the trajectory of homesickness, revealing strong connections between personality and homesickness experiences (Van Tilburg, Vingerhoets, & Van Heck, 1996; Eurelings-Bontekoe, 1997). Characteristics observed in homesick individuals, such as high rigidity and dependency and low extraversion, dominance, and assertiveness, distinguish them from non-homesick counterparts (Van Tilburg et al., 1996). There is a hypothesis that higher levels of rigidity and dependency, coupled with lower levels of extraversion, dominance, and assertiveness, may not only contribute to homesickness onset but also impact the recovery process.Research by Fisher (1989) demonstrated a low but significant negative correlation between extraversion and homesickness (r = -0. ...
Globally, international education has emerged as a phenomenon that supports the development of several cultural perspectives. However, there are many challenges for students who study abroad. They often have to adapt and get used to new environments, which may be stressful and cause homesickness. The purpose of the current study aimed to investigate the relation between homesickness and personality traits (extraversion, agreeableness, openness to experience, consciousness, and neuroticism among international students. A sample of 110 students (55 men and 55 females) from a number of ethnic backgrounds, including Middle Eastern, Asian, and African descent, were recruited for the study. Pearson Correlation was 56 calculated to test the hypothesis. The results found a significant positive correlation between homesickness and personality traits (agreeableness, extraversion, consciousness, and openness to experiences). However, homesickness was shown to be negatively correlated with the neuroticism trait. The objective of the research aims to understand the psychological aspects of international students and to provide personalized therapies that will facilitate a seamless transition while focusing on their adjustment and well-being in a new setting.
This research aimed to determine the relationship between cultural intelligence and happiness with homesickness in first year overseas students. Homesickness refers to feelings of suffering caused by the loss of leaving home. Homesickness is characterized by feelings of loneliness, discomfort and difficulty adjusting to a new environment. This study used 101 subjects who were students on campus Sukolilo city of Surabaya class of the first year. Data collection in this study used a Likert scale, using measurement instruments consisting of a homesickness questionnaire (HQ), cultural intelligence scale and happiness scale. Simultans Bayesian Regression Analysis shows that there is a relationship between cultural intelligence and happiness on homesickness. Partially, cultural intelligence and happiness can be significant predictors of homesickness. That is, the higher the cultural intelligence and happiness, the lower the homesickness of a first year overseas student. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui hubungan antara cultural intelligence dan happiness dengan homesickness pada mahasiswa rantau tahun pertama. Homesickness merujuk pada perasaan menderita yang disebabkan oleh perasaan kehilangan karena meninggalkan rumah. Homesickness ditandai dengan munculnya rasa kesepian, ketidaknyamanan, dan sulit untuk melakukan penyesuaian diri di lingkungan yang baru. Penelitian ini menggunakan 101 subjek yang merupakan mahasiswa yang berada di kampus kecamatan Sukolilo kota Surabaya angkatan tahun pertama. Pengumpulan data pada penelitian ini menggunakan skala likert, dengan menggunakan instrumen pengukuran yang terdiri dari homesickness questionnaire (HQ), cultural intelligence scale, dan happiness scale. Analisis Regresi Bayesian secara simultan menunjukkan bahwa terdapat hubungan antara cultural intelligence dan happiness terhadap homesickness. Secara parsial, cultural intelligence dan happiness dapat menjadi prediktor yang signifikan terhadap homesickness. Artinya, semakin tinggi cultural intelligence dan happiness maka semakin rendah homesickness yang dimiliki mahasiswa rantau tahun pertama.
Manual for use of the Utrecht Homesickness Scale
Arts-based programs can provide space for forcibly displaced youth to process pre-migration and resettlement experiences creatively. While these programs can facilitate growth and healing, limited research addresses forcibly displaced girls’ perceived benefits of engaging in arts-based programs. Through in-depth interviews with 20 high school girls who resettled in a Midwest City in the United States, I explore this group's motivation to engage in arts-based activities like dance, drama, and theater. My findings suggest that participants engaged in arts-based programs to explore their artistic interests, connect with other girls with similar cultural identities, and manage feelings of homesickness and loss. I discuss how schools and community organizations can tailor arts-based programs to help forcibly displaced girls manage socio-emotional and educational needs.
This paper examines the psychological reactions towards university transition with cultural relocation. Both personal factors (cognitive failures, locus of control) and environmental factors (perceived academic and social demands) are considered in this specific stressful context. General psychological symptoms and homesickness were measured. Result from a prospective study showed that homesickness is a common psychological reaction amongst Chinese students studying in Britain. This was quite separate from other psychological symptoms, and the two were influenced by different personality and environmental factors.
Schon lange haben die mit unglaublicher Grausamkeit und rücksichtsloser Brutalität ausgeführten Verbrechen (Mord und Brandstiftung) Interesse erregt, die man von zarten Geschöpfen, jungen und gutmütigen, noch ganz im Kindesalter befindlichen Mädchen ausgeführt sah. Der Widerspruch zwischen Tat und Täterin, die Motivlosigkeit oder unzureichende Motivierung und darum das Rätselhafte und Unverständliche der Ereignisse erregten Mitgefühl oder Abscheu.
Three studies are reported concerning homesickness in children attending a new boarding school. Homesickness was found to be a complex cognitive/motivational/ emotional state. The first study concerned retrospective reports of 115 pupils at the end of the first year. Seventy-one per cent of the group reported having experienced homesickness during the school year. This same group also reported a higher incidence of non-traumatic ailments during the year and more days off school. Previous boarding school experience was found to have an ameliorating effect on reports of homesickness. Two further studies are described which involve a diary style of methodology. The first confirmed incidence levels of 76% and an ameliorating effect of previous boarding school experience was found. The second study devoted exclusively to homesickness reporting showed incidence levels of 71 %. Homesickness reporting generally decreased during the two-week period of the diary studies; males showed a different daily reporting patterns from females; ‘very homesick’ respondents had different daily and weekly reporting pattern from other respondents. The findings are elaborated in terms of the risk model developed by Fisher et al. (1985, J. Environ. Psychol., 5, 181–195): a geographical move is a necessary but not a sufficient condition for a homesickness experience; circumstantial and life situations act as ‘gate devices’ influencing which variables have a moderating effect.
The investigation concerns the impact of the new school environment on a group of 50 male and female children aged 11–16 years, who leave home to reside temporarily at boarding school, in terms of the characteristics of problems and worries reported and the incidence of spontaneous reports of homesickness. More problems relating to the school than to the home environment were reported but proportionally more worry units were reported associated with home problems for both males and females. There was no sex differences in this respect. The reported level of spontaneously reported homesickness was 16% and there were no sex differences. Factors such as age, geographical distance of move and decision to go away to school were not influential in determining the level of reported problems or incidence of spontaneous reports of homesickness. A relationship was found with level of problems reported and recent life history but the result proved difficult to interpret.
This paper explicates the different factors which determine the adaptation of immi grants. Immigration is conceptualised as a stressful process which necessitates readjust ment on several dimensions of functioning. The varying adjustment patterns of immigrants as they cope with cultural changes are outlined. Focusing on Indian immigrants, four phases of adjustment (pre-immigration, transition, discontentment and adaptation periods) and their behavioural correlates are described. The conflicts and concerns of the post-1965 immigrants are articulated in terms of issues pertaining to dependency vs. independence, competition vs. collusion, loneliness and changing values and family commitments. The problems of women immigrants are also discussed.
Berry's model of acculturation can be considered as very useful to classify different strategies to cope with or to adjust to a new culture. In the model four relevant modes of acculturation are described: integration, assimilation, segregation and marginalisation. Research illustrates that these modes are differently related to health and psychosocial adjustment. Irrespective of the mode mostly preferred by a social group, we find marked inter-individual differences in the preference of an acculturation style Research findings show that these individual differences are very closely related to a series of personality variables, such as cognitive styles, coping styles, and reactions to stressful life events in general. Understanding the complex relationships between personality and acculturation modes can help the social scientist to develop and apply adequate intervention strategies and to give some suggestions for the development of adequate socio-political acculturation programmes.
This study explored the following questions: (a) Are there cultural differences in the degree of reported homesickness? (b) What variables differentiate the homesick from the nonhomesick? (c) Do these differentiating dimensions vary across cultures? The participants were 75 American and 69 Turkish 1st-year female college students. They completed two personality inventories and a 60-item Homesickness Questionnaire. There was a significant difference in the number of homesick students in the two culture groups. Further, the mean homesickness rating of the American sample was significantly less than the mean homesickness rating of the Turkish participants. Some aspects of the experience of homesickness transcended cultural boundaries (e.g., lower social presence, greater dependence on parental guidance, problems with personal well-being) and others were found to be culture specific (e.g., higher socialization and lower flexibility scores for the Turkish homesick group).
A questionnaire was mailed to 2,521 Iranian and 2,938 Filipino physicians who were practicing medicine in the U.S. Six hundred ninety-five Iranians and 898 Filipinos responded. Data of a section of the questionnaire on perceived adjustment and psychosocial problems were analyzed in this study. Statistical analyses of the data (bivariate correlations, multiple regression, and factor analysis) indicated that the reported adjustment problem was related closely to psychopathological measures such as loneliness, anxiety, depression, homesickness, and low self-esteem in both nationality groups. Participation in social activities with Americans was inversely related to perceived adjustment problems. In both groups, those who had become naturalized US. citizens and those who planned to stay permanently in the US. were less likely to report adjustment problems. The relationships between perceived adjustment problems and age and total years in the US. were not significant for Iranian physicians; however, they were correlated significantly for the Filipinos, which indicates that older physicians in this group and those who had been in the US. for a longer period of time were less likely to report adjustment problems. Other differences and similarities between the two nationality groups also were identified.