Homesickness, Locus of Control and Social Support among First-Year Boarding-School Students

Abstract

Background. Homesickness is a common experience among students who live in dormitories. Its symptoms may vary and influence students’ academic performance, social involvement, and ability to adapt to a new environment. Objective. To investigate homesickness, locus of control, and social support among first-year boarding-school students. Design. This study was conducted to first-year students of boardingschool and involved two hundred and twenty-six students, ages 11–13. A quantitative research design was implemented. Results. There was a significant influence of locus of control and social support on homesickness among first-year students of boarding school. Social support contributed more to reducing homesickness. Conclusion. This study can help expand the understanding of homesickness among first-year students, which may lead to improved social support from peers and develop students’ locus of control.

Keywords

• homesickness
• locus of control
• social support
• first-year students
• boarding school