Family cohesion and age as determinants of homesickness in university students

Despite the negative psychological effects associated with the transition to university, little is known about the relationship between homesickness and family functioning. One hundred first-year university students completed a questionnaire incorporating the Dundee Relocation Inventory (Fisher & Hood, 1987) measure of homesickness, and a measure of family functioning. A high level of homesickness was reported among students, with 18% of the variance in homesickness scores accounted for by family cohesion and chronological age. Implications for further research are discussed within the context of an unambiguous operationalization of homesickness and its effects.