Psychological Outcomes and Associated Factors Among the International Students Living in China During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Alam, Md. Dhedharul; Lu, Joan; Li, Ni; Hu, Shaohua; Xu, Yi

doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2021.707342

Cited by 36 publications

(39 citation statements)

References 64 publications

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“…Multi-factor analysis in our study found that the risk of depression and anxiety was significantly increased among males, which was consistent with the findings from previous studies ( 28 , 44 , 45 ) Online learning at home requires greater self-discipline to complete online courses, particularly in the earlier period when students are adapting to the new system ( 34 ). Self-regulation and self-management ability are very important in the process of online learning ( 46 ).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

The Mental Health Status and Associated Factors Among Medical Students Engaged in Online Learning at Home During the Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study From China

et al. 2021

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Background: The purpose of this study was to assess the mental health status of medical students engaged in online learning at home during the pandemic, and explore the potential risk factors of mental health.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted via an online survey among 5,100 medical students from Wannan Medical College in China. The Depression, Anxiety and Stress scale (DASS-21) was used to measure self-reported symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress among medical students during online learning in the pandemic.Results: In total, 4,115 participants were included in the study. The prevalence symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress were 31.9, 32.9, and 14.6%, respectively. Depression was associated with gender, grade, length of schooling, relationship with father, students' daily online learning time, and students' satisfaction with online learning effects. Anxiety was associated with gender, length of schooling, relationship with father, relationship between parents, students' daily online learning time, and students' satisfaction with online learning effects. Stress was associated with grade, relationship with father, relationship between parents, students' daily online learning time, and students' satisfaction with online learning effects.Conclusions: Nearly one-third of medical students survived with varying degrees of depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms during online learning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Gender, grade, length of schooling, family environment, and online learning environment play vital roles in medical students' mental health. Families and schools should provide targeted psychological counseling to high-risk students (male, second-year and third-year, four-year program). The findings of this study can provide reference for educators to cope with the psychological problems and formulate the mental health curriculum construction among medical students during online learning.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

The Mental Health Status and Associated Factors Among Medical Students Engaged in Online Learning at Home During the Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study From China

et al. 2021

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“…We searched PubMed on 12 November 2021 using keywords including “international students” and “COVID-19,” and found 15 articles exploring the stress and mental health of international students studying in China ( 16 – 20 ), South Korea ( 21 ), U.K. ( 15 , 22 ), U.S. ( 15 , 23 ), Australia ( 24 , 25 ), Russia ( 26 ), Turkey ( 27 ), and Poland ( 28 , 29 ). Six studies were on Chinese or Asian international students ( 15 , 21 – 23 , 25 , 29 ) and nine studies focused on students of other ethnicities ( 16 – 20 , 24 , 26 – 28 , 30 ). We found no qualitative articles that systematically investigated COVID-19-related stressors, coping and positive and negative impacts in international students during the pandemic.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…We searched PubMed on 12 November 2021 using keywords including "international students" and "COVID-19, " and found 15 articles exploring the stress and mental health of international students studying in China (16)(17)(18)(19)(20), South Korea (21), U.K. (15,22), U.S. (15,23), Australia (24,25), Russia (26), Turkey (27), and Poland (28,29). Six studies were on Chinese or Asian international students (15, 21-23, 25, 29) and nine studies focused on students of other ethnicities (16-20, 24, 26-28, 30).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Phenomenological Study on the Positive and Negative Experiences of Chinese International University Students From Hong Kong Studying in the U.K. and U.S. in the Early Stage of the COVID-19 Pandemic

et al. 2021

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Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has caused distress in students globally. The mental health of international students studying abroad has been neglected during the COVID-19 pandemic, especially Chinese students who have been unfairly targeted.Objective: To explore and document the positive and negative experiences of a group of Hong Kong Chinese international students studying in the U.K. and U.S. from an insider perspective in the early stage of the COVID-19 pandemic.Methods: The qualitative study used four 1.5-h online focus group interviews of 20 Chinese international students from Hong Kong aged 18 or older studying in universities in the United Kingdom or the United States, from 3 May to 12 May 2020. A framework approach with a semi-structured interview guide was used to reflect students' stressors, cognitive appraisals, coping, and outcomes (negative impacts and positive gains), in the early stages of COVID-19. Different strategies were used to ensure the credibility, dependability, confirmability, and transferability of the study. Transcripts were analyzed using qualitative thematic content analysis.Results: Twenty full-time international University students (60% female, 90% aged 18–25 years and 65% undergraduates) were recruited. Students reported (i) stress from personal (e.g., worries about health and academic attainment), interpersonal (e.g., perceived prejudice and lack of social support), and environmental factors (e.g., uncertainties about academic programme and unclear COVID-19-related information); (ii) significant differences in culture and cognitive appraisal in the levels of perceived susceptibility and severity; (iii) positive thinking and using alternative measures in meeting challenges, which included effective emotion and problem coping strategies, and the importance of support from family, friends and schools; and (iv) negative psychological impact (e.g., worries and stress) and positive personal growth in crisis management and gains in family relationships.Conclusions: With the rise in sinophobia and uncertain developments of the pandemic, proactive support from government and academic institutions are urgently needed to reduce stress and promote the well-being of international students, especially Chinese students in the U.K. and U.S. Clear information, public education and policies related to the pandemic, appropriate academic arrangements from universities and strong support systems play important roles in maintaining students' psychological health.Clinical Trial Registration: The study was registered with the National Institutes of Health (https://clinicaltrials.gov/, identifier: NCT04365361).

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“…During the COVID-19 pandemic, control and prevention measures such as lockdown, reduction of social contact and changes of teaching mode interrupted the students' daily life, hampered their studies and negatively impacted their psychological health (2). Moreover, previous studies revealed that the international students were more prone to psychological problems because, compared with their domestic peers, they lacked resources to counteract stress and had to cope with more challenges unique to them, such as the language barrier and culture shock (3,4).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, most of the previous studies were done in western countries, and the research in Asia has been limited, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the results of a recent survey to the international students, 73.4, 76.6, and 58.5% of the participants had depression, anxiety and stress symptoms, respectively, during the pandemic, and male students presented more symptoms of depression and anxiety than females due to their more risk-taking behaviors (2). As international medical students will be incorporated into the future work force safeguarding the health of mankind, their wellbeing especially their mental health during the pandemic should arouse our attention.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Relationships Between Cross-Cultural Adaption, Perceived Stress and Psychological Health Among International Undergraduate Students From a Medical University During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Moderated Mediation Model

Wang

et al. 2021

Front. Psychiatry

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International university students may be at greater risk for developing psychological problems due to the unique stressors in them, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of present study is to propose and test a moderated mediation model that would illuminate the underlying relationships of cross-cultural adaption, perceived stress and psychological health as well as the moderating effect of optimism and resilience among international medical undergraduates in China during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study was conducted via a web-based survey in November 2020. Electronic informed consents were obtained from all participants. A total of 453 students including 233 males and 220 females aged 18 to 28 years with an average age of 22.09 (SD = 2.73) completed the questionnaires. Symptom Checklist 90, the measurement of cross-cultural adaption, the Perceived Stress Scale, the Life Orientation Test-Revised and the Resilience Scale were used for the survey. Results for the moderated mediation model testing revealed that cross-cultural adaption significantly and negatively associated with the Global Severity Index (GSI) of the Symptom Checklist 90 (β = −0.24, P < 0.01), and perceived stress partially mediated the relationship. Optimism (β = −0.29, P < 0.01) and confidence in COVID-19 control (β = −0.19, P < 0.01) had direct negative effects on perceived stress. Furthermore, optimism and resilience negatively moderated the indirect effect of cross-cultural adaption on psychological health through perceived stress. Findings of this study suggest that university educators ought to promote or make use of programs that cope with stress and boost optimism and resilience in order to support students not only adapt well to a new culture, but also keep good psychological health during the period of COVID-19 pandemic.

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Psychological Outcomes and Associated Factors Among the International Students Living in China During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Cited by 36 publications

References 64 publications

The Mental Health Status and Associated Factors Among Medical Students Engaged in Online Learning at Home During the Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study From China

The Mental Health Status and Associated Factors Among Medical Students Engaged in Online Learning at Home During the Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study From China

A Phenomenological Study on the Positive and Negative Experiences of Chinese International University Students From Hong Kong Studying in the U.K. and U.S. in the Early Stage of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Relationships Between Cross-Cultural Adaption, Perceived Stress and Psychological Health Among International Undergraduate Students From a Medical University During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Moderated Mediation Model

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