Understanding Homesickness:
A Review of the Literature
By Talita Ferrara, M.S.

Abstract
This article provides a review of the research literature related to the experience of homesickness amongcollege students. Research-based findings of thesymptomology of homesickness, risk factors that increase
vulnerability to experiencing this psychological phenomenon, and the effectiveness of treatment strategies aimed
at reducing symptoms of homesickness are examinedwithin this literature review.

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Introduction

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The transition from high school to college is an
important milestone in a student's life. For many young
adults, this marks their first time being away from home foran extended period (Thurber & Walton, 2012). Although theexperience of pursuing a college degree and achieving a
sense of autonomy from one's family of origin can be exciting and invigorating, students can also find this transition to
be anxiety-provoking and isolating (Thurber & Walton, 2012).
Consequently, homesickness is tied to these feelings ofisolation and anxiety. Fisher and Hood (1988) defined homesickness as "a complex cognitive-motivational-emotional
state concerned with grieving for, yearning for and being occupied with thoughts of home" (p. 426), while Thurber andWalton (2012) described homesickness as "the distress or
impairment caused by an actual or anticipated separationfrom home" (p. 415). This distress operates on a spectrum,
ranging from mild to intense symptoms of homesickness
with debilitating effects on daily functioning (Fisher, 2017).
Although some level of homesickness is a relatively common experience following a move, studies haveyielded a range in prevalence reporting of this phenomenon(VanTilburg, 1996). Differences between studies on measures and definition of homesickness, varying lengths oftime participants were away from home, and contextual diversity involving relocation have influenced data on the prevalence (Stroebe, Vliet, Hewstone, & Willis, 2002). In a study
on boarding school children ranging from 11 to 16 years old,
Fisher, Frazer, and Murray (1984) found a mere 16% prevalence rate when the term 'homesickness' was missing fromthe questionnaire. However, two years later, a similar study
in context and participant demographics, found 71% of students experienced homesickness during their time awayfrom home in boarding school (Fisher, Frazer, & Murray, 1986).

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Variation in reporting prevalence of homesickness exists within the contextual framework of higher education. Previous research on first-year residential students' adjustment at a university in the United States, foundthat 31% of the 198 participants reported experiencing
homesickness (Fisher & Hood, 1987). However, a more
recent comparable study on first-year college students
found that 94% experienced some level of homesickness
during their first semester away from home (English, W ei,
Davis, & Gross, 2016).
Regardless of the variation in prevalence rate
across the literature, homesickness is listed as one of the
top complaints of student sojourners (Fisher, 2017). Research supports the assertion that some level of homesickness is a relatively common experience following relocation (VanTilburg, 1996). This phenomenon is a practically universal experience to any person, regardless of age,gender and cultural background, separating from their home
(Fisher, 2017; Thurber, 2005). Homesickness is documented in various contexts; including, but not limited to:higher education, boarding school, sleepaway camp, military deployment, migrant workers, and immigration(Eurelings-Bontekoe, Vingerhoets, & Fontijn, 1994; Fisher,
2017; Fisher, Frazer, & Murray, 1986; Hack-Polay, 2012;
Tartakovsky, 2007; Thurber, 2005).
As residing on a university campus rises in popularity, so has the interest in better understanding how homesickness impacts the overall college experience (Fisher,2017). English, et al. (2016) collected quantitative datafrom 174 undergraduate students weekly throughout thefirst 10 weeks of the semester. The students completed
questionnaires assessing their level of homesickness,
adjustment and emotional experience, to examine how
homesickness evolves during the first semester away atcollege, and whether there is an association between experiencing homesickness and the students' overall adjustment. The authors' found that students that reported feeling homesick had an overall worst adjustment in college incomparison to students that did not report experiencing
homesickness.
Consequently, difficulty adjusting to the new college environment can lead to a student's decision to

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prematurely withdrawal from college. Thurber and Walton(2012) have cited that homesick students are "3 times more
likely to drop out of school than those who were not homesick" (p. 416). Sun, Hagedorn, and Zhang (2016) supported
this assertion, concluding that the distress linked to homesickness is associated with smaller chances of student retention in higher education.
In a search to better understand the specific factors linked to college retention, researchers found that, incomparison to students that graduated from college, thestudents that left college prior to graduation reported being more socially isolated (Daugherty & Lane, 1999). Likewise, Strayhorn (2019) emphasized how achieving a senseof belongingness and being connected within social andacademic groups positively impacts retention rate. The
important role of social support and a sense of belonging
play in the overall college experience is a concept intertwined with homesickness, which will be discussed further in the literature review.
Given its prevalence, and negative impact on college satisfaction and graduation, the issue of homesickness among college students is an important topic to examine further. This literature review will provide readers a comprehensive understanding of homesickness, with a concentration on the context of higher education. The themes presented from past literature include the symptomology ofhomesickness, risk factors that increase vulnerability to experiencing this psychological phenomenon, and the effectiveness of treatment strategies aimed at reducing symptoms of homesickness.
Review of Research Literature for Homesickness
Belongingness Theory and Homesickness

Drawing from Maslow's (1954) hierarchy of needs,
the belongingness theory, founded by Baumeister and Leary(1995), proposed that the "need to form and maintain atleast a minimum quantity of interpersonal relationships, isinnately prepared (and hence nearly universal) among human beings" (p. 499). Baumeister and Leary suggested
that the achievement of interpersonal acceptance leads tofeelings of pleasure and fulfillment. On the contrary, when
faced with rejection or a loss of previously established social bonds, people experience psychological disturbances.

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Baumeister and Leary (1995) asserted that two
conditions must be met for a person to satisfy their need tobelong:First, people need frequent personal contacts orinteractions with the other person. Ideally, these interactions would be effectively positive or pleasant, but it ismainly important that the majority be free from conflictand negative effect. Second, people need to perceivethat there is an interpersonal bond or relationship marked
by stability, affective concern, and continuation into theforeseeable future (p. 500).
As presented by Beaumeister and Leary (1995),
people not only need to have positive interpersonal relationships, but direct and frequent contact with attachment
figures is necessary in order for people to successfully
meet their belongingness need. The physical separationfrom home encountered by first-year resident students may
be perceived as a loss of pre-established personal contacts, and consequently present a deficit in the person's
need to belong.
The belongingness theory goes on to suggest thatonce people establish a strong bond, individuals will actively resist its dissolution (Baumeister & Leary, 1995). Whenthe dissolution of pre-existing bonds occurs, Baumeisterand Leary presumed people would experience psychological disturbances, such as feelings of loneliness and social
isolation. When a student relocates from home to college,
they undergo a sudden reduction in contact with previous
social networks (Watt & Badger, 2009). For instance, prior tocollege, a student may feel a sense of belonging with theirfamily unit, and friends they have had since elementary
school. Conversely, during the initial transition to college,that same student is now living in a new environment surrounded by foreign people (Watt & Badger, 2009). Previous
support is no longer accessible on a regular basis due tothe physical separation of being away at college (Watt &Badger, 2009).
Adding to the dilemma, the importance of feeling a
sense of belongingness is heightened during situations
when a person finds themselves in an unfamiliar environment, and in particular during the transition into college(Strayhorn, 2019). Further supported by Thurber and Walton(2012), "the university environment also stirs nearly every
student's innate desire to belong" (p. 416). In essence, theperceived dissolution of pre-existing bonds due to physicalseparation from home, paired with the innate desire to feelsocially connected is viewed as the manifestation of homesickness among college students (Watt & Badger, 2009).
Students going through homesickness during
their first semester away at college may be feeling a senseof grief from the perceived loss of their support network(Fisher, 2017). Research on international students foundSpring, 2020 Journal for Leadership and Instruction

One of the first theorists to introduce the importance of belonging in human development was Abraham
Maslow (1954). Maslow's (1954) hierarchy of needs proposed that for us to reach our full potential, we must firstmeet prerequisites. In order from basic to most sophisticated, Maslow's needs included: physiological (shelter,food), safety (being secure and feeling safe), love and belonging (a sense of feeling connected with and cared byothers), esteem (feeling a sense of competence and selfworth), and self-actualization. Maslow argued that if a person did not feel a sense of belonging they would not be able
to reach a full and authentic sense of life satisfaction.

Consequently, the desire to feel pleasure and avoid emotional pain is what is believed to motivate human behavior toseek interpersonal acceptance (Baumeister & Leary, 1995).

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that participants with a higher number of friends from theirhome country in their host country reported less homesickness, and a greater sense of being socially connected (Hendrickson, Rosen, & Aune, 2011). The students that felt socially connected, also reported a higher
level of satisfaction with their college experience. As aninternational student in a foreign culture, socially engaging with familiar customs may have fostered a sense of
belonging in the host nation.
It is interesting to note that even when relocating
to economically better conditions, people may experience
psychological distress and a yearning for home (Fried,1966). As addressed by Fried (1966), "It is the sense of
belonging someplace, in a particular place which is quite
familiar and easily delineated, in a wide area in which
one feels 'at home'" (p. 363). In the midst of urban renewal, Fried (1966) suggested that the psychological distress experienced by the majority of those who relocatedpartially stemmed from an interruption in their sense of
belonging.
From the lenses of the belongingness theory(Baumeister & Leary, 1995) one may presume that as a
student becomes more familiar with their new college
surroundings, and begins to build new meaningful attachments, the student is likely to experience a sense of
belonging in their new environment, and feelings of homesickness would lessen accordingly.

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Themes Across the Literature
Although homesickness has an impact on sufferers' physical and mental health, the latest version of
the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders,
Fifth Edition (DSM-5) published by the American Psychiatric Association (2013) does not recognize this phenomenon. The DSM-5 (APA, 2013) is a "classification of mental health disorders with associated criteria designed tofacilitate a more reliable diagnoses of these disorders"(p. xli). The reasoning for the exclusion lies in the notionthat experiencing feelings of homesickness following a
move can be an initial natural response to relocation, andnot a mental health disorder (Fisher, 2017; Thurber, 2005).
However, when the longing for home persists, and homesickness reaches the severe end of the spectrum, its
symptoms can have a devastating impact on sufferers(Fisher, 2017; VanTilburg, 1996).
In addition to assisting mental health professionals to diagnose a mental illness, the DSM-5 (APA, 2013)
can also facilitate the identification and implementationof potentially effective treatment modalities (APA, 2013).
The multipurpose nature of the DSM-5, and the exclusionof homesickness from this resource creates specific challenges in defining, understanding and treating homesickness. Previous research has focused on exploring thesymptoms, risk factors, and effective coping strategies
associated with this phenomenon.

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Symptomology of Homesickness
Symptoms of homesickness operate on a spectrum ranging from mild to severe with a potentially incapacitating impact on physical, cognitive, and psychological functioning (Fisher, 2017). The multi-facet features of homesickness are present across cultures, race, age, and contexts(Eurelings-Bontekoe, 1994; Fisher, 2017; Fisher, et al., 1986;
Hack-Polay, 2012; Tartakovsky, 2007; Thurber, 2005). The
review of the literature on the symptomology of homesickness serves the purpose of exploring the most common
manifestations of this phenomenon in impairment of physical, cognitive, and psychological functioning. It is crucial tonote that these symptoms are not inclusive, nor absolute,and different suffers can report varying levels of intensity intheir personal experience and perceptions.
Physical Symptoms
The disruptive and stressful experience of homesickness has been suggested to generate a higher risk of
ill-health (Fisher, 2017). Physical ailments, including disruption in sleep and appetite, increased risk of infection,and gastrointestinal issues is seen in people suffering fromhomesickness (Fisher, 2017; VanTilburg, 1996). The
stressful nature of homesickness is linked to an increasein arousal. Consequently, high arousal, which impacts
blood circulation may lead to physical ailments such as
headaches or dizziness (Fisher, 2017). In a study amongboarding school children, homesickness was positively
associated with the frequency of experiencing non-traumatic
ailments (Fisher, 2017).
The start of college/university may be met with highdemands in the aspects of learning and following a newacademic schedule, instruction style, and content, adapting
to a new social life, and overall adjusting to the demands ofthe transition (Strayhorn, 2019). In conjunction with thesehigh demands, first-year students may also perceive a lackof control over their ability to overcome homesickness andhave a positive college experience (Fisher, 2017; Strayhorn,
2019; VanTilburg, 1996). Keeping this in mind, situations
that are categorized by "high demand and low control" areassociated with "raised effort and distress and high catecholamine and cortisol" (Fisher, 2017, p. 57). These hormonal changes are associated with a suppression of theimmune system, thus leading to more frequent illness andinfection. In this sense, a range of physical ailments are
identified as a significant and potentially debilitating symptom of homesickness.
Cognitive Symptoms
The cognitive symptoms of homesickness canmanifest as pervasive thoughts about longing for and a desire to return home, and pessimistic views about the newenvironment (VanTilburg, 1996). In a cross-cultural study on
homesickness, rumination about home was a characteristic associated with college students in the United Kingdom
and the Netherlands (Stroebe, et al., 2002). Implications

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have been made suggesting the potential negative impact
rumination about home, a characteristic of the homesick
experience, can have on the college experience, particularly
within the academic setting (Fisher, 2017). Researchers
have sought to understand if these pervasive thoughts havea negative impact on further cognitive functioning. The results are mixed, where in some instances a reduction inattentional ability (Burt, 1993), and higher scores on the Cognitive Failures Questionnaire (Fisher, Murray, & Frazer, 1985)
were both linked to homesick university students. However,Fisher and Hood (1987) did not find a statistically significant
difference in cognitive failure between non-homesick andhomesick university students.
Nonetheless, the consistent negative cognitive processing regarding the new setting experienced by the homesick person has been suggested to further complicate thesufferers' psychological health. As evident in Fisher andHood's (1988) assertion that "cognitive states associatedwith fundamental themes of missing and longing for home
drive varying emotional and motivational states" (p. 317).
This notion is further supported by Aaron Beck (1970), founderof cognitive behavior therapy, who proposed that "systematic
study of self-reports suggests that an individual's belief systems, expectancies, and assumptions exert a strong influence on his state of well-being, as well as on his directly
observable behavior" (Beck, 1970, p. 184). In other words,
consistent negative thoughts about the new environment
can have an impactful influence on the person's behavior
and psychological functioning.
Psychological Symptoms

Risk Factors for Homesickness
W hile research on symptomology explains how
homesickness impacts sufferers, studies on risk factors draw
readers' attention on specific populations that may be more
vulnerable to experience this phenomenon. Locus of control(Fisher, 2017), geographic distance (Sun, Hagedorn, & Zhang,2016), and demographics (Sodowsky & Plake, 1992) are studied as potential risk factors for homesickness.
Locus of Control
As suggested by Fisher (2017), perceived control
is an important aspect of a successful adjustment following
a transition where a newcomer is likely to feel some level of
temporary lack of control over their new environment. Whendefining the locus of control, research has perceived it as alack of control over sufferers' ability to change their current
environment, and also as a lack of control over the initialdecision to relocate (Fisher, 2017).
In a study on children, age 8-16, attending a twoweek sleepaway camp, Thurber and Weisz (1997) exploredthe relationship between homesickness, adjustment, andperceived control. Results found that children who perceived
low control over the trajectory of homesickness and the decision to temporality separate from home, were more likely toexperience homesickness. However, contrary to these findings, the locus of control was not an influential factor forhomesickness in children attending boarding school (Fisher,
Frazer, & Murray, 1986).
In a higher education context, Fisher, Murray, andFrazer (1985) found that university students in the United
Kingdom that reported having the primary responsibility ofchoosing to attend that particular university were less likely
to experience homesickness, in comparison to students that
felt pressured to attend university by parental influences.
Geographic DistanceIn a quantitative study on Dutch adults, Verschuur,
Eurelings-Bontekoe, and Spinhoven (2004) concluded that
not only was depression and anxiety characteristics of homesickness, but the most vulnerable group susceptible to recurring homesickness from childhood through adulthood
exhibited more depressive symptoms than the control group.
Therefore, this finding suggests a positive association between depression and homesickness.
Research on the symptomology of homesickness
has supported the assertion that homesickness is a complex
phenomenon marked by varying levels of impairment in a

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A person's geographical distance away from homefollowing a move is another risk factor, where researchers
have predicted that the further away someone is from theirhome, the more likely they would be to experience homesickness (Fisher, 2017). The reasoning for this speculation
has rested on the rationale that the longer the physical distance from home, the less frequent physical contact a person has with the people and settings they miss. Consequently, this inability or difficulty with contacting home andattachment figures is suggested to place sojourners at ahigher risk of suffering from homesickness (Fisher, 2017).

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As previously suggested, cognitive symptoms ofhomesickness can potentially develop into pervasive mental health issues (Thurber & Walton, 2012). Emotional andpsychological disturbances represented through depressive
mood, loneliness, and anxiety are found in sufferers fromhomesickness (Fisher, 2017; VanTilburg, 1996). In particular, seminal work by Fisher and Hood (1987, 1988), andFisher, Murray, and Frazer (1985) have found that homesick
university students are more likely than non-homesick counterparts to exhibit symptoms of anxiety and depression. The
psychological disturbances associated with homesickness,particularly in the form of depression, have been witnessed
across cultures, age groups, and gender (Fisher 2017;
Stroebe, et al., 2002).

person's physical, cognitive, and psychological functioning(Fisher, 2017). Studies to date have presented an association
between homesickness, and physical ailments, pervasive
thoughts about home, and depression (Fisher 2017; Stroebe,
et al., 2002; Thurber & Walton, 2012). Furthermore, researchhas been suggestive of the adverse effects these symptoms
can have on a sufferers' functioning (Thurber & Walton, 2012).

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Specifically, in higher education, a quantitative
study on first-year university students in the United Kingdom found a significant difference between homesickness and geographic distance from home. Students thatwere further away from home were more likely to experience feelings of homesickness (Fisher, et al., 1985). A
more recent quantitative study on over 10,000 first-year
students attending the University of Missouri over three years,
further supported this assertion (Sun, et al., 2016). Sun et al.
found that due to their geographic distance away from home,
out-of-state students, in comparison to students attending
university in their home state, were at a greater risk of experiencing homesickness.
However, similar to the comparison in the locus ofcontrol, a study on boarding school children did not find asignificant difference in geographic distance from home andexperiences of homesickness (Fisher, et al., 1986). In addition, Brewin, Furnham, and Howes (1989) did not find an
association between geographic distance from home andhomesickness among first-year students in their quantitative study. However, the authors also noted that the prevalence of homesickness in their sample at 39 percent was
lower than the 60s to 70s percent prevalence found in otherstudies on first-year college students. Brewin et al. (1989)
hypothesized that the lower prevalence found in their study
is linked to the fact that in their sample the average distancefrom home was 200 miles, while previous studies reportinga 60s to 70s percent prevalence had an average distancefrom home of 300 miles.
Demographics

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In reference to the impact demographics plays on
homesickness, research has yielded mixed results. These
results have ranged from no statistically significant differences to females and individuals under the age of 18 reporting higher prevalence of homesickness (Sun, et al., 2016).
Other researchers have cited, due to increased perceived
discrimination, race as a risk factor associated with the homesick experience (Sodowsky & Plake, 1992).
The disparity in perceived discrimination among
racial groups on college campuses is highlighted by previous research. Poyrazili and Lopez (2007) found that
European international students reported less perceived
discrimination on college campuses, in comparison to
non-European international students. Likewise, Biasco,
Goodwin, and Vitale (2001) found that the darker the
person's skin color, the more likely they were to experience discrimination. Although these studies were suggestive of a lack of belonging experienced by students ofcolor, they did not directly connect race as a risk factor forhomesickness.
However, seminal work by Sodowsky and Plake(1992) made the association between race and the homesick experience. In a mixed methods study, Sodowsky andPlake utilized quantitative instruments to measure acculturation and perceived prejudice by participants. Openended survey questions were used to examine themes ofself-identity and transition to a new culture. Sodowsky andPlake found that in comparison to European international
students, students of color were more likely to perceive
prejudice in their host nation. In addition, perceptions ofprejudice were also found to be positively associated withhomesickness. Therefore, the research findings suggestthat international students of color were more vulnerable tothe homesickness experience than European international
students.
Although previous research has identified race asa risk factor to homesickness, a recent study by Sun, et al.,(2016) contradicted Poyrazili and Lopez's (2007) findings.
In a quantitative investigation, Sun, et al. concluded that students of color did not report a significant difference in homesickness in comparison to white peers, despite residing ina university with predominately white students.
Coping Strategies
The research presented thus far has concentrated
on studying symptoms and risk factors of homesickness.
Although these findings help provide a better understandingof homesickness, the studies fall short of producing applicable information. Specifically, information pertaining to theeffectiveness of treatment modalities for homesickness
among college students is not well documented. Respectfully, we turn our attention to a review of the literature thatsuggests that mental health counseling (Saravanan, Alias,& Mohamad, 2017), social connections (Denovan & Macaskill,2013), and achieving a sense of belonging in a new environment (Watt & Badger, 2009), are crucial ingredients in alleviating homesickness.
Social Support and Belonging
Mental health counseling is often recommended tothose struggling with the intense longing for home (Fisher,2017). Although research is limited, the benefits of counseling have been empirically tested in treating homesickness.
In particular, international students presenting with symptoms of homesickness and depression in Malaysia were
found to experience a significant improvement in their mental health state after receiving seven sessions of cognitive
behavior therapy (Saravanan, et al., 2017). However, as addressed by Saravanan et al. (2017), counseling is not anavailable option for all students either due to lack of access,or personal and cultural preferences.
Pursuing a comprehensive understanding of effective treatment modalities, Saravanan, Alias, andMohamad (2019), conducted a follow-up study examining
the coping strategies used by international students suffering from homesickness who were reportedly not interested in receiving counseling. The authors asserted that

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information could help counselors and college administration develop an effective treatment to assist homesick
students. Out of the 520 international students away atcollege in Malaysia diagnosed with homesickness anddepression, nine were found to have effectively treated theircondition solely using self-administered coping strategies.
Semi-structured interviews were conducted with the nine
students to learn what self-help interventions assisted thestudents in overcoming homesickness and depression.
Some of the common themes found from the interviews
included talking to a trusted peer, engaging in social andphysical activities, and engaging in positive self-talk. Therefore, even though these participants did not receive support from the counseling staff, their symptoms of homesickness were alleviated partially through the enhancementof social supports.
Likewise, in an interpretative phenomenologicalanalysis of the first-year experience in higher education, acommon theme emerged suggesting that initial lack of social support worsened feelings of homesickness. However,as students began to develop a solid social support system
at college, they began to feel a sense of belonging and adjustment (Denovan & Macaskill, 2013).

Results confirmed that the severity of homesickness varied significantly from the control group to the treatment group. Thurber (2005) concluded that the campersthat received the prevention package experienced lessintense homesickness. Quantitative data from this study
further highlights the vital role social connections and a
supportive environment play in reducing the negative effects of homesickness.
As noted in the literature review thus far, social support and belongingness are intertwined. Strayhorn (2019)asserted:
In terms of college, sense of belonging refers to students' perceived social support on campus, a feeling or

Researchers found that a lower perceived sense of
belonging at college was predictive of a higher likelihood ofexperiencing homesickness (Sun, et al., 2016). Based onthese results, Sun et al. (2016) speculated that "Once students feel more integrated to the university context, they are
more likely to feel accepted, which will reduce the degree ofhomesick distress" (p. 955). However, the researchers did
not empirically test the remediating effects of college integration and belonging on homesickness.
Watt and Badger (2009), on the other hand, did attempt to test the direct impact of belonging on homesickness. In a two-part study, Watt and Badger first explored theassociation between homesickness and the need to belong, followed by an experimental study seeking to prove a
causal relationship between these two variables. Participants were international students from 42 distinct countries,
ranging from 18 to 45 years old, studying at five different
universities in Australia. Homesickness and the need tobelong were both measured using quantitative tools, withparticipants' reported number of friends being indicative of
the students' level of support on campus.
Although the researchers found a positive association between homesickness and the need to belong,they were not able to support the substitution hypothesis,
which suggested that social connections in a new place
can fulfill the need to belong by replacing the connections
from back home. According to the substitution hypothesis,
homesickness will dissipate once social support is formed(Watt & Badger, 2009). However, the measurement of social support in this study raises the dilemma of whether
quantity or quality holds more weight in determining social
support satisfaction.
Reflecting on the complex definition of
belongingness provided by Strayhorn (2019), measuring a
sense of belonging by merely accounting for the number offriends seems insufficient and oversimplified.
Gap in Literature and Concluding Remarks
A review of the existing literature on homesickness
identifies common symptoms and risk factors associatedwith the phenomenon, as well as effective coping strategies to assist with recovery. Homesickness is a condition
that can negatively impact a person's physical, cognitive,
and psychological well-being (Fisher, 2017). Althoughprevalent among individuals regardless of race, age, andgender, risk factors including geographic distance from
home, perceived locus of control, and race have been linked
to a potential increase in vulnerability to homesickness(Fisher, 2017; Fisher, et al., 1985; Sodowsky, & Plake, 1992;
Sun, et al., 2016).

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The role support and belonging play in treating
homesickness is further supported in Thurber's (2005) quantitative research, which tested the effectiveness of amultimodal homesickness prevention package on boys ranging in ages eight to 16 who were spending two weeks awayfrom home at a summer camp for the first time in their lives.
As the name suggested, Thurber's treatment package concentrated on preventive measures of addressing homesickness. Among other factors, social support played a key rolein Thurber's prevention package. Prior to the departure tosummer camp, all of the participants received an introductory telephone call from a camp staff member. The rationale
behind this strategy suggested that these telephone calls
would assist campers in feeling a sense of connection withat least one person at the campsite prior to arrival. Thurber
hypothesized that these preventive strategies would lead toless homesickness among campers, in comparison to thecampers from the previous year who did not have access tothe prevention package.

sensation of connectedness, and the experience ofmattering or feeling cared about, accepted, respected,
valued by, and important to the campus community orothers on campus as faculty, staff, and peers (p. 4).

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As a means of helping sufferers, cognitive behavior
therapy, and achieving a sense of belonging through social
connections in the new environment are helpful during relocation (Saravanan, et al., 2017; Sun, et al., 2016).
At the conclusion of their study, which involved ananalysis of homesickness, Fisher, et al., (1985) found that"homesickness is not a unitary concept; rather, it is a termthat encompasses a wide range of individual thoughts,
feelings, and attitudes, focusing primarily upon the former
home and family" (p. 191). The complexity and subjectivity of the homesick experience bring to question whether
standardized quantitative tools provide an accurate assessment of this phenomenon. Reflective of this inquiry, some ofthe seminal work on homesickness introduced in this literature review yielded contradicting results (Fisher, et al., 1985,
1986; Fisher & Hood, 1987). Perhaps one of the reasons
these studies are finding conflicting data lies in their methodof investigation.
Accounting for the personal nature of this phenomenon, qualitative measures through interviews may enable
researchers to gain a deeper perspective of the uniqueexperience of individual sufferers of homesickness. As
indicated by Firmin, Johnson, and Basham (2009), a qualitative research design provides "more in-depth explorations of student perspectives regarding this topic than typically could be garnered via other research approaches,such as surveys" (p. 58).

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Echoing the need for qualitative investigation, previous quantitative researchers have recommended futurestudies to focus on concepts best investigated through qualitative measures. Sun, et al., (2016) made the following recommendations:.

Future researchers must continue to enhance scholars' understanding of the homesick experiences thateither facilitate or hinder students' development andgrowth in college. We suggest future researchers conduct a small-scale study, taking a qualitative approachto understand why some students suffer great distressafter arriving at college…Future researchers could takea longitudinal approach and collect data multiple times
during students' transition process. In so doing, educational researchers and practitioners could gain moreinsight into first-year college students' behavior andperformance (p. 955).

This review of research literature related to homesickness among college students presents valuable information that can aid mental health clinicians, and higher education administration in developing appropriate treatment
options and resources to assist college students to overcome feelings of homesickness and to have a successful
college experience.

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Talita Ferrara, M.S., LMHC, is Director of the Student PersonalCounseling Center at Molloy College in Rockville Centre, NY.
She is also a doctorate student at Molloy College's Educational
Leadership for Diverse Learning Communities (Ed.D.) program.

Spring, 2020 Journal for Leadership and Instruction

Saravanan, C., Mohamad, M., & Alias, A. (2019). Coping strategies used by international students who recovered fromhomesickness and depression in Malaysia. International
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