YOU CAN TRY OR YOU CAN JUST GIVE UP - THE IMPACT OF PERCEIVED CONTROLAND COPING STYLE ON CHILDHOOD HOMESICKNESS

Research on children's coping with homesickness during relatively unco ntrollable separations has suggested that secondary control coping (i. e., adjusting oneself to fit objective conditions) is often preferred over primary control coping (i.e., modifying objective conditions to f it oneself). Related research suggests that negative affect is associa ted with (a) relinquishing control or using primary control to cope wi th uncontrollable stressors and (b) perceiving low control over stress ors. The convergence of these factors was examined for the stressor of homesickness. Among 1,032 boys and girls spending 2 weeks at resident ial summer camps, the most frequent and effective way of coping with h omesickness was to exert secondary control by engaging in a distractin g physical activity. Contrary to speculation, the use of secondary con trol coping rose in adolescence. Congruent with empirical predictions, the most homesick children perceived low control over homesickness an d separation, and coped by relinquishing control.