Faculty of Psychology, Universitas of Sumatera Utara,
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