Anticipatory Homesickness, Resilience, and Psychological Distress among Commencing Medical Students

Successful adaptation to new surroundings can be restricted by the experience of anticipatory homesickness. This may be particularly compromising in a high-stake learning environment such as medicine. This study sought to record the prevalence of anticipatory homesickness among commencing medical students, its association with psychological distress, and whether resilience mediates this association. A questionnaire comprising sociodemographic details, and items concerning homesickness, resilience and psychological distress was completed by graduate entry students at two Australian universities who had relocated to commence their medical studies (N = 75, 64% women). Psychological distress was negatively related to resilience and positively related to anticipatory homesickness. Only one resilience measure (Perception of Self) was related to anticipatory homesickness, but it demonstrated full mediation such that psychological distress was evident only in the presence of low Perception of Self. Screening and subsequent preventative programs targeting self-perception may be an appropriate check on wellbeing, enabling timely intervention to reduce psychological distress and potential adverse academic outcomes. Potential programs are discussed through the lens of social inclusion.