Returning home after a study abroad experience can be challenging. In the current research, we examine the discrepancy between adaptation expectations and experience in a longitudinal sojourner study (N = 1319; M_age = 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.

中文翻译：

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回家：期望在再入适应中的作用

出国留学经历后回国可能具有挑战性。在目前的研究中，我们在一项纵向逗留者研究（N  = 1319 _；Mage = 17 岁；70% 女性）。在返回家园之前评估返回者的适应期望，然后是返回后的适应经验和总体幸福感测量。总体而言，返回者报告的再入境适应水平高于预期。根据准确性假设，未满足的期望将与较低的幸福感相关。相反，定向假设表明，未满足的期望将对幸福感产生负面影响，但前提是期望未得到满足。回归后的幸福感回归到旅行前的适应期望和重新进入的适应经验。对两个结果变量（压力和对生活的满意度）、两种适应类型（心理和社会文化）进行多项式回归和响应面分析，并在不同的时间点（返回后大约 2 周和 6 个月）。结果一致表明，较大的差异与负错配的较低幸福感相关（当预期未达到时）。对于正错配，如果适应好于预期，幸福感就会更高。期望和经验之间的一致性与幸福感无关。因此，通过分析，结果支持方向假设。