Returning home: The role of expectations in re‐entry adaptation

Abstract

= 17 years; 70% female). Returnees adaptation expectations were assessed prior to returning home, followed by post return measures of adaptation experiences and general well-being. Overall, returnees reported higher levels of re-entry adaptation than anticipated. According to the accuracy hypothesis, unmet expectations will be associated with lower well-being. In contrast, the directional hypothesis suggests that unmet expectations will negatively impact on well-being, but only if the expectation is undermet. Well-being on return was regressed on pre-travel adaptation expectations and adaptation experience on re-entry. Polynomial regression and Response Surface Analyses were conducted for two outcome variables (stress and satisfaction with life), two types of adaptation (psychological and sociocultural), and at different time points (approximately 2 weeks and 6 months after return). Results consistently show that larger discrepancies were associated with lower well-being for negative mismatches (when expectations were undermet). For positive mismatches, if adaptation was better than expected, well-being was higher. Congruence between expectation and experience were not associated with well-being. Thus, across analyses, results supported a directional hypothesis.

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