Prevalence and Correlates of Depressive Symptoms Among International Students: Implications for University Support Offices

Abstract

International students often experience significant challenges and difficulties adjusting to their new campus and university environment abroad. As a result, understanding the unique needs of these students has become an important priority for many university administrators and mental health professionals amid growing health concerns faced by members of this community. This study examines the prevalence and correlates of depressive symptoms in a sample of international students enrolled in a mid-size U.S. university. A hierarchical multiple regression model revealed that poor English fluency, increased acculturative stress, and perceived discrimination were associated with higher levels of depressive symptoms, whereas increased social support was associated with lower levels of depressive symptoms. Implications for university administration and support services are discussed.

The USM Mentoring Inventory: A Construct Validity and Reliability Exercise

“…In the context of the medical training, the scopes of the mentoring sessions are broader including (i) career advancement (23)(24), (ii) personal development, and (iii) professional development (3-5, 7, 25-serve as a mentor to guide mentees in educational, career and social development areas (8,9) as well. This is consistent with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) which has addressed three main roles of the students' affair section in higher education institutions which promote personal, career and education development as well (8)(9)(10)(11). To realise these roles, mentors must be knowledgeable and skilful to help them professionally during the mentoring relationship.…”

Emerging empowerment of international students: how international student literature has shifted to include the students’ voices

“…Among other things, they provide valuable insights into the experiences of international students, their reluctance to form cross-cultural ties and the psychological impact of this. There is much evidence that international students are socially isolated (Bochner et al 1977;Sam 2000;Glass and Westmont 2014;Shadowen et al 2019) and that increased contact with host nationals would increase their networks, and be psychologically beneficial (Kashima and Loh 2006;Yang et al 2006;Sakurai et al 2010;Hendrickson et al 2011;Wu et al 2015). Neither are we suggesting that internationalisation is a negative, but rather pointing out the similarity in rhetoric between policy makers and researchers, which may indicate that a relatively baseless assumption of purpose has come to influence the direction which research has taken.…”

“…Montgomery and McDowell 2009). The depression-like symptoms many international students experience (Shadowen et al 2019) seem to dissipate as they establish social networks, the national character of which having a value in itself. In countries that differ substantially from the sending society, the formation of a co-national group might lessen culture shock by allowing international students to interact in a way with which the students are more culturally familiar (Page 2019).…”

Students Anxiety Experiences in Higher Education Institutions

“…Some students feel anxiety because of unfair treatment from classmates, friends, and staff and faculty members. When the students feel they are not welcome and they are treated badly, this causes them to feel anxiety [28,29].…”