HOMESICKNESS, PHYSICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL HEALTH IN UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS

Abstract

Homesickness is a condition where one experiences longing for home and rumination about home which is often accompanied by psychological distress and physical symptoms. This study aimed to study the relationship between Homesickness, and physical and mental health in Undergraduate students. It also compared the health of day scholars and hostelites. Furthermore, it assessed the levels of homesickness with an emphasis on gender and academic year. A correlational research design with comparative analysis was employed to study the relationship between homesickness, and physical and psychological health among 377 undergraduate students. Utrecht Homesickness Scale (UHS), The Physical Health Questionnaire (PHQ), and Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scales (DASS-21) were utilized for data collection. Descriptive analysis, Pearson correlation coefficient, linear regression, and ANOVA were conducted through SPSS version 25 to analyze the results. Homesickness is significantly correlated with DASS-21(r = .564, p < .01) and Physical Health (r = .555, p < .01). Linear regression revealed that Homesickness is responsible for 32% variance in DASS-21 score and 31% variance in Physical Health Score. Females demonstrated a higher level of homesickness than males with a significant difference (t = -6.43, p = .000). There was no significant difference in physical health (.274>, p=0.05) of day scholars and hostelites. Similarly, there was no significant difference in psychological health (p<0.05). Seniors had higher homesickness levels (p< 0.05) than freshmen, sophomore, and junior students. This study highlights the impact of homesickness on physical and psychological health and suggests a need for interventions by academic authorities for students who are suffering from homesickness.