Cross-Cultural Differences in Coping, Connectedness and Psychological Distress among University Students

Abstract

Globally the high prevalence of psychological distress among university students is concerning. Two factors associated with low psychological distress among university students are adaptive coping strategies and campus connectedness. The current study examines the cross-cultural differences among university students across three countries, Australia, United States of America and Hong Kong in the utilization of academic coping strategies, levels of campus connectedness and psychological distress. Cross-cultural differences were examined using the theory of cultural orientations; individualism and collectivism. Participants consisted of 217 university students. The results indicated no significant differences between the countries on individualism or collectivism or on the reported use of academic coping strategies and levels of campus connectedness. Lower use of avoidance coping and higher levels of campus connectedness predicted significantly lower psychological distress for university students in all countries. The implications of the results are discussed along with limitations and future directions.

Campus Connectedness and Its Relationship to Stress, Anxiety and Depression among Nepalese Undergraduate Nursing Students

“…In a similar study conducted in Hong Kong, nursing students reported moderate to extremely severe anxiety (39.9%), depression (24.3%), and stress (20%) [7]. Ratnayake and Ekanayake [25] Bales et al [9] also reported high levels of connectedness in the sample of female university students. The reason for the high level of connectedness could be the familiarity that students have with the campus environment.…”

“…Bales et al [9] argued that there may be cross-cultural differences that may influence the relationship between campus connectedness and psychological distress. However, the findings of their study did not support the research hypothesis about cross-cultural differences among university students from three different countries but revealed a positive relationship between connectedness and psychological well-being which they defined as lower levels of stress, anxiety, and depression.…”

“…The limited research done among college students has shown a significant negative relationship between campus connectedness and stress, anxiety, and depression [9] [10] [11] [12]. A series of studies conducted by Lee and his associates suggested a relationship between campus connectedness and psychological distress including anxiety and depression [5] [6] [13].…”

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“…University students of different specializations are exposed to various psychological, social, and academic pressures, as a large number of pressures and the student's inability to confront them can lead the student to feel many psychological problems related to pressure, including burnout in the learning environment, which may generate a positive feeling towards studying. It pushes him/her to make more effort and dedication to his/her work to achieve his/her goals and makes him/her more connected to his/her studies (Pidgeon and Pickett 2017). Fawzy and Hamed (2017) study concluded that academic burnout is prevalent among students at all educational levels and in various countries of the world, and some statistics from previous studies confirm that about 40% of university students suffer from academic burnout, with varying degrees of severity, and that the number of students who suffer It is constantly increasing from the first year of education until the last stages of education, and this indicates the gradual nature of this phenomenon.…”