International Students' Mental Health Care in China: A Systematic Review

Determining the role of innovative teaching practices, sustainable learning, and the adoption of e-learning tools in leveraging academic motivation for students' mental well-being

BACKGROUND

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about significant changes in the educational landscape, with a significant shift towards e-learning and remote teaching practices. As such, it has become increasingly important to understand the role of innovative teaching practices, sustainable learning, and the adoption of e-learning tools in leveraging academic motivation for students' mental well-being.

PURPOSE

The study aims to determine whether academic motivation can helpful for mental wellbeing of students directly and through the adoption of e-learning tools, and sustainable learning considering the role of innovative teaching.

METHODS

Target population of this research were the students of Chinese universities. Data was collected from 308 students and was analyzed by using Mplus software.

RESULTS

Students expressed higher motivation, quality education and good mental health. Additionally, it was discovered that academic motivation helped the students to develop good academic record and mental health.

CONCLUSION

The research's conclusions can help the policy makers creating successful educational initiatives and programs that promote students' overall growth. These results can also guide the university administration and teachers to adopt effective policies and practices for creating academic motivation in order to construct a healthy environment not just for better academic results but also for the well-being of students. Additionally, this research draws attention of future researchers to explore mechanisms that can drive students' academic and psychological outcomes.

International and domestic university students' mental health over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany: Comparison between 2020, 2021, and 2022

BACKGROUND

The COVID-19 pandemic affected university students' mental health worldwide. International students were presenting high levels of stress, anxiety, and depressive symptoms before the pandemic. This study aimed to investigate (i) differences between various timepoints of the COVID-19 pandemic (2020, 2021, and 2022) in mental health outcomes and social and emotional aspects in domestic and international students, separately, (ii) differences between international and domestic students between the three timepoints on mental health outcomes and social and emotional aspects, and (iii) possible moderation effects of timepoints on mental health outcomes and social and emotional aspects of domestic and international students.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Data from three cross-sectional anonymous online surveys conducted in German universities were analyzed and compared. Data were collected in 2020, 2021, and 2022, respectively, with a total N = 14,498. Depressive symptoms, hazardous alcohol use, social support, self-efficacy, resilience, perceived stress, and loneliness were assessed through standardized self-report instruments. Differences between domestic and international students in mental health outcomes, and social and emotional aspects across three timepoints were assessed with one-way and two-way ANCOVAs.

RESULTS

Regardless of the timepoint, international students presented more depressive symptoms and perceived stress, lower perceived social support and resilience, but higher levels of self-efficacy and less alcohol consumption compared to domestic students. A significant interaction effect between timepoint and student status emerged only for loneliness.

CONCLUSIONS

International students generally presented poorer mental health outcomes than domestic students. Mental health care and prevention such as low-threshold, online counseling should address university students, especially international students.

Perceptions of the Sense of Security, Belonging, and Acculturative Stress among International Students in China during COVID-19 Outbreak-An Empirical Analysis

Understanding the cross-cultural adaptation of students studying in foreign countries by exploring acculturative stress factors is crucial to ensure the smooth academic performance of the students and, in turn, to enhance the global reputation of their universities. Therefore, it is an area of interest for the authorities (Ministry) and the corresponding management of universities. Using a random sample of 138 international students in China, descriptive and logistic regressions were conducted to assess the levels and influence of acculturative stress factors on cross-cultural adaptation, specifically on international students' sense of security and belonging during the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak. The results revealed that students were most concerned about homesickness, which obtained the highest mean score. The regression results indicated that the perception of fear and discrimination significantly impacted international students' sense of security. The perception of fear, guilt, and how long the student stayed in China also significantly affected the sense of belonging. We argue that the reflections provided herein are essential for universities to improve how they manage and handle international students to mitigate the effects of acculturative stress, particularly when additional stressful conditions are present, such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

Perceptions towards the COVID-19 Pandemic during Different Lockdown Levels among International Students in Taiwan

International students face many impediments under the COVID-19 pandemic. The objectives of this study are to assess the association between the perceptions of international students and the lockdown policy for COVID-19. In 2021, three different levels of lockdown policy were enforced, including level I from January to April, level III from May to July, and level II from August to December. We conducted three surveys for international graduate students using a validated questionnaire during the different lockdown levels. We collected 185, 119, and 83 valid questionnaires in level I, II, and III, respectively. There were linear trends in the correlations of lockdown policy with the knowledge (p = 0.052), attitudes (p = 0.002), and practices (p < 0.001) of COVID-19. In brief, the stricter the lockdown policy, the better the students adhered to sufficient knowledge, positive attitudes, and healthy practices. Furthermore, there were significant linear correlations of lockdown policy with the transportation, school study, leisure, family life, and diet behavior. In conclusion, lockdown policy had important impacts on the knowledge, attitudes, practices, and daily lives of international students. The findings indicated that the lockdown system and its corresponding measures appear to affect perceptions in a positive way.

COVID-19 Pandemic and International Students' Mental Health in China: Age, Gender, Chronic Health Condition and Having Infected Relative as Risk Factors

International students in China were among the first group of individuals to be affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the pandemic's impact on their mental health is underexplored. This study-utilizing web-based survey data (N = 381), presents preliminary reports using ANOVA and MIMIC analytic approaches. Following the clinical demarcation of the 21-item version of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS-21), we found 24.6%, 38.3%, and 43.6% of the students to suffer mild to extreme stress, anxiety, and depression, respectively. Female students reported significantly higher levels of stress and depression than males. Older students' reports of stress were more substantial than younger students. Students who reported having a relative infected with the virus (vs. those without) experienced significantly higher anxiety and stress. Those who reported having pre-existing chronic health condition(s) (vs. those without) also reported significantly higher stress, anxiety, and depression levels. Moreover, students with an exercise routine (vs. those without) experienced significantly lower levels of stress, anxiety, and depression. Last, our MIMIC model results indicate that foreign students' age, gender, chronic health status, and having a relative infected with the virus constitute significant risk factors explaining variations in foreign students' experience of psychological distress. Implications for international students' management have been thoroughly discussed.