Suicide-related Thoughts and Behaviors among International Students

Abstract

Suicide-related thoughts and behaviors (SBTs) are a major public health issue across the world and are still an upward trend. Though countless researchers focused on this topic, examined many risk factors, and developed various theories, the study focus on international students (IS) is sparse. To provide a broad view of the suicide-relevant factors and theories of those IS and call more researchers' attention to their mental health and SBTs, we conducted a systematic review. This included 16 studies from 2002 to 2022. Belongingness (family, friends, and campus), discrimination, and mental health disorders are the most commonly researched outcomes associated with SBTs among IS. However, we found out it still lacks the specific suicide risk factors that target IS and cultural-tailored suicide prevention and interventions. Future researchers, psychological professionals, and faculty should develop more studies to pay more attention to them.