How has the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the impact of mental health challenges in international...
1. Barriers faced by international students
1.1. Tseng and Newton6 highlight 4 specific challenges faced by international students: (1) general living adjustment, such as becoming accustomed to life in America and its food, housing, environment, and transportation; (2) academic adjustment marked by an adjustment to the American university system and the skills needed for success; (3) sociocultural adjustment, such as cultural norms and behaviors; and (4) personal psychological adjustment, such as homesickness, loneliness, or feelings of isolation and lost identity.” (p. 109) - See Below
1.2. Financial Restraint
1.2.1. "Work stress associated with international students undertaking long hours of employment in addition to their study was believed to be a consequence of students arriving with inadequate funds to support themselves, despite declaring that they were able to do so."
1.3. Lack of general support for mental health
1.4. Language Barrier
1.5. Being cast aside from domestic students/seen as inferior/overlooked (?)
1.6. Racism/Discrimination/Xenophobia
1.7. Given the very nature of global student mobility for higher education, international students have been at increased risk for loneliness and isolation compared to their domestic counterparts, negatively impacting their mental well-being (Girmay & Singh, 2019; Kim et al., 2019). "
1.8. Perfectionism
2. Solutions
2.1. Create preventative measures
2.1.1. Since the problems in the group of international students seem to be more serious, it is important to develop new preventive and interventional activities especially for this group.” (p.7" - Koppenborg, K. A., Garnefski, N., Kraaij, V., & Ly, V. (2022). Academic stress, mindfulness-related skills and mental health in international university students. Journal of American College Health, 1–9. Academic stress, mindfulness-related skills and mental health in international university students
2.2. More opportunities for financial support (?)
2.2.1. 20 hour work week restriction removed temporarily - how will this help improve mental health in international students? - Canada to allow international students to work off-campus over 20 hours per week | Canada Immigration News
2.3. Accessibility for mental health support, i.e. seeking affordable therapy
2.3.1. Navigating college mental health support
2.4. "An increase in the availability of mental healthcare, including the availability of walk-in triage services, culturally responsive mental health services, and increased advocacy by university staff to decrease discrimination and microaggressions against international students, especially those of Asian origins, are needed Zhai & Du (2020).
2.4.1. *although specific to Asians, I believe its still important across the globe for international students. Need to elaborate further.
3. Barriers accessing services
3.1. Mental health seen as taboo in home country
3.1.1. Forbes-Mewett, H., & Sawyer, A. (2016). International Students and Mental Health. Journal of International Students, 6(3), 661-677. Humber Libraries eResources Login - talks a bit about stigma in mental health
3.2. Unable to get connected with services
3.3. Inaccessible resources for international students versus domestic students
4. Countries from Articles
4.1. Australia
4.1.1. https://www-proquest-com.ezproxy.humber.ca/docview/1792214289?pq-origsite=primo&accountid=11530
4.2. United States of 'Murica
4.2.1. https://onlinelibrary-wiley-com.ezproxy.humber.ca/doi/full/10.1111/hsc.13683
4.3. Non-Chinese students enrolled in Chinese Universities
4.3.1. Prevalence of mental health problems among stranded international students during the COVID-19 pandemic
5. Mental health awareness due to the pandemic
5.1. Acknowledged that there is a problem
5.1.1. Why is it just now we're talking about mental health in international students?
5.2. Increase level of depression, anxiety, loneliness etc
5.3. Loss of jobs, thus resulting in stress relating to finances
5.3.1. Find articles that's perhaps Toronto, Ontario specific to give a financial background information on what an average cost to live in the city
6. Personal challenge?
6.1. Losing family during the pandemic
6.1.1. How did this increase preexisting symptoms that other international students felt?