Psychological Distress and Perceived Discrimination Among Chinese International Students One Year into COVID-19: A Preregistered Comparative Study

Abstract

Background and Objectives: During the COVID-19 pandemic, Chinese international students(CISs) experienced increased depression and anxiety associated with a combination of unique and universal COVID-19-related stressors. Among these factors, discrimination against Chinese is especially alarming. Therefore, studying correlates of distress including the association between discrimination and distress and factors intensifying or attenuating this link has important implications.Design: We adopted a cross-sectional self-report design.Methods: Our study compared depression and anxiety between CISs (N = 381) and Chinese students in Chinese colleges (CSCCs; N = 306) and examined correlates of distress and, in particular, the association between perceived discrimination and distress as well as moderators on this link within CISs.Results: Compared to CSCCs, CISs reported greater depression and anxiety. Depression was associated with being female, older, non-heterosexual, discrimination, coping inflexibility, low social support, and low satisfaction with online learning. Anxiety was associated with being female, older, heterosexual, discrimination, coping inflexibility, low social support, and low satisfaction with online learning. High perceived social support and being heterosexual weakened the association between discrimination and distress (anxiety and depression). Conclusions: Our study underscored the impact of the pandemic and related discrimination on CISs and highlighted individual differences that may warrant attention.Keywords: COVID-19, Chinese international students, psychopathology, perceived discrimination, intersectionality, minority stress

Depression Level Comparison: Chinese Undergraduate International Students in the United States and Local Undergraduate Students in Mainland China Two Years After COVID-19 Outbreak

“…Under such circumstances, the Chinese international undergraduate students' mental health conditions have impacted dramatically. Research indicates that one year after COVID-19 breakout, Chinese international students "reported greater depression and anxiety" due to the pandemic and discrimination related to it "while at low level (below 1 SD) of perceived social support there existed a significantly positive association between discrimination and depression" [1]. In addition, Chinese international students "exhibited significantly great levels of anxiety [1].…”