A longitudinal study was conducted to examine the effects of the transition to university in residential and home-based students. All students showed evidence of raised psychological disturbance and absent-mindedness following the transition. Although there were no differences between resident and home-based students in this respect, those who reported homesickness were distinguished from the remainder in terms of higher levels of psychological disturbance and cognitive failure following the transition to university. Covariate analysis established that the gain in psychological disturbance following the transition was greater for the homesick group. The results are discussed in terms of the effects of stressful transitions on psychological state and the concept of personal vulnerability.

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A study was conducted on the psychological reaction to the transition to university in 198 first year residential students. Female subjects had higher levels of psychological disturbance and cognitive failure. Thirty-one per cent of the subjects reported experiencing homesickness. These subjects had higher levels of psychological disturbance and cognitive failure than non-homesick subjects. There were no sex differences in homesickness reporting. The non-homesick group were found to be more likely to have been away from home before either to attend boarding school or to take holidays. This suggests either that selective aspects of previous mobility experience are beneficial or that self-selection factors operate in that those who do not feel distress at leaving home are more likely to acquire mobility experience.

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