The Relationships of Personality Traits and Homesickness with Mental Health Among Dormitory Students

The prevalence and the intensity of mental health problemsamong university students are increasing. Entering university may require students to change their place of residence and hence, put them at risk for mental health problems. This study aimed to evaluate the relationships of personality traits and homesickness with mental health among dormitory students. In this cross-sectional study, 205 students were recruited from the dormitories of Jiroft University of Medical Sciences, Jiroft, Iran. Data were collected using a demographic questionnaire, the Homesickness Questionnaire, Eysenck Personality Inventory, and Goldberg General Health Questionnaire. Data were analyzed through the stepwise multiple linear regression, Pearson correlation analysis, and independent-sample t test. Married students had significantly poorer mental health than their single counterparts. The significant predictors of mental health were the two personality traits of extroversion (B = - 0.616, P = 0.032) and neuroticism (B = 1.44, P < 0.001), the two homesickness dimensions of disliking the university (B = 0.619, P < 0.001) and attachment to home (B = - 0.346, P = 0.002), and marital status (B = 6.29, P = 0.023). These five predictors explained 40% of the total variance of mental health. Personality traits, homesickness, and marital status affect mental health among dormitory students.