International Students’ Suggestions for What Universities Can Do to Better Support Their Mental Wellbeing

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.32674/jis.v12i4.3877

Keywords:

international students, wellbeing, higher education, mental health, support, Australia

Abstract

This article aims to expand understanding of how to support international students’ mental wellbeing in Australian higher education. It presents findings from a study which explored international students’ own suggestions for how universities could improve their wellbeing. Qualitative responses were analyzed from 601 international students at one large, metropolitan university in Australia. Findings emphasize the relationship between course experience and student wellbeing and suggest that universities could improve international students’ wellbeing by focusing on improving their learning experiences and fostering a sense of belonging.

Author Biographies

  • Samantha Marangell, University of Melbourne

    SAMANTHA MARANGELL, PhD, is a Lecturer at the Melbourne Centre for the Study of Higher Education at The University of Melbourne in Australia. Her major research interests comprise the student experience, university internationalization, and wellbeing. Email: samantha.marangell@unimelb.edu.au  

  • Chi Baik, The University of Melbourne

    CHI BAIK, DEd, is a Professor in higher education at the Melbourne Centre for the Study of Higher Education at The University of Melbourne in Australia. Her broad research interests center on the quality of the student experience and factors affecting the educational experiences and outcomes of students from diverse backgrounds. Email: cbaik@unimelb.edu.au

References

Akanwa, E. E. (2015). International students in western developed countries: History, challenges, and prospects. Journal of International Students, 5(3), 271-284. https://doi.org/10.32674/jis.v5i3.421

Arkoudis, S., & Baik, C. (2014). Crossing the interaction divide between international and domestic students in higher education. HERDSA Review of Higher Education, 1, 47-62.

Arkoudis, S., Dollinger, M., Baik, C., & Patience, A. (2019). International students’ experience in Australian higher education: Can we do better? Higher Education, 77, 799–813. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-018-0302-x

Arkoudis, S., Marangell, S., Baik, C., Patrick, C., Bexley, E., & James, R. (2018). University Student Finances 2017. Universities Australia.

Arthur, N. (2017). Supporting international students through strengthening their social resources. Studies in Higher Education, 42(5), 887-894. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2017.1293876

Baik, C., Larcombe, W., & Brooker, A. (2019). How universities can enhance student mental wellbeing: The student perspective. Higher Education Research & Development, 38(4), 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2019.1576596

Baik, C., Larcombe, W., Brooker, A., Wyn, J., Allen, L., Field, R. & James, R. (2017). Enhancing student mental wellbeing. Melbourne Centre for the Study of Higher Education. http://melbourne-cshe.unimelb.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/2408604/MCSHE-Student-Wellbeing-Handbook-FINAL.pdf

Baik, C., Naylor, R., & Arkoudis, S. (2015). The first year experience in Australian universities: Findings from two decades, 1994-2014. Melbourne Centre for the Study of Higher Education, The University of Melbourne.

Blackmore, J., Gribble, C., Farrell, L., Rahimi, M., Arber, R., & Devlin, M. (2014). Australian international graduates and the transition to employment. Deakin University. https://www.voced.edu.au/content/ngv:72900

Bland, D., & Atweh, B. (2007). Students as researchers: Engaging students’ voices in PAR. Educational Action Research, 15(3), 337–349. https://doi.org/10.1080/09650790701514259

Bore, M., Pittolo, C., Kirby, D., Dluzewska, T., & Marlin, S. (2016). Predictors of psychological distress and well-being in a sample of Australian undergraduate students. Higher Education Research & Development, 35(5), 869-880. https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2016.1138452

Bronfenbrenner, U. (1979). The ecology of human development: Experiments by nature and design. Harvard University Press.

Bronfenbrenner, U. (2005). Making human beings human: Bioecological perspectives on human development. SAGE.

Brown, L., & Jones, I. (2013). Encounters with racism and the international student experience. Studies in Higher Education, 38(7), 1004-1019. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2011.614940

Busher, H. (2012). Students as expert witnesses of teaching and learning. Management in Education, 26(3), 113–119. https://doi.org/10.1177/0892020612445679

Cemalcilar, Z., & Falbo, T. (2008). A longitudinal study of the adaptation of international students in the United States. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 39(6), 799-804. https://doi.org/10.1177%2F0022022108323787

Clough, B. A., Nazareth, S. M., Day, J. J., & Casey, L. M. (2019). A comparison of mental health literacy, attitudes, and help-seeking intentions among domestic and international tertiary students. British Journal of Guidance & Counselling, 47(1), 123-135. https://doi.org/10.1080/03069885.2018.1459473

Cohen, L., Manion, L., & Morrison, K. (2011). Research methods in education (7th ed.). Routledge.

Cook-Sather, A. (2002). Authorizing students’ perspectives: Toward trust, dialogue, and change in education. Educational Researcher, 31(4), 3–14. https://doi.org/10.3102%2F0013189X031004003

Department of Education, Skills and Employment (2020). International student data summary: End of year summary of international student data 2019. https://internationaleducation.gov.au/research/international-student-data/Documents/MONTHLY%20SUMMARIES/2020/Full%20year%20summary.pdf

Flynn, P. (2015). Whose voice, who’s listening? Student voices in research and practice; embedding a culture of listening in education discourse. In B. Mooney (Ed.) Education Matters Yearbook 2015-2016. Education Matters.

Gomes, C., & Tran, L. T. (2017). International student (dis)connectedness and identities: Why these matter and the way forward. In L. T. Tran & C. Gomes (Eds.), International student connectedness and identity (pp. 283-290). Dordrecht: Springer.

Keddie, A. (2015). Student voice and teacher accountability: Possibilities and problematics. Pedagogy, Culture & Society, 23(2), 225–244. https://doi.org/10.1080/14681366.2014.977806

Kitzrow, M. A. (2003). The mental health needs of today's college students: Challenges and recommendations. NASPA Journal, 41(1), 167-181. https://doi.org/10.2202/1949-6605.1310

Larcombe, W., Baik, C., & Finch, S. (2021). Exploring course experiences that predict psychological distress and mental wellbeing in Australian undergraduate and graduate coursework students, Higher Education Research & Development. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2020.1865284

Larcombe, W., Finch, S., Sore, R., Murray, C. M., Kentish, S., Mulder, R. A., Lee-Stecum, P., Baik, C., Tokatlidis, O., & Williams, D. A. (2016). Prevalence and socio-demographic correlates of psychological distress among students at an Australian university. Studies in Higher Education, 41(6), 1074-1091. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2014.966072

Lee, J. J., & Rice, C. (2007). Welcome to America? International student perceptions of discrimination. Higher education, 53(3), 381-409. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-005-4508-3

Ling, C., & Tran, L. T. (2015). Chinese international students in Australia: An insight into their help and information seeking manners. International education journal: comparative perspectives, 14(1), 42-56.

Lipson, S. K., & Eisenberg, D. (2018). Mental health and academic attitudes and expectations in university populations: Results from the healthy minds study. Journal of Mental Health, 27(3), 205-213. https://doi.org/10.1080/09638237.2017.1417567

Lovibond, S. H., & Lovibond, P. F. (1995). Manual for the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales. (2nd ed.). Psychology Foundation.

Marginson, S. Nylan, C., Sawir, E. & Forbes-Hewett, H. (2010). International student security. Cambridge University Press.

McLachlan, D. A., & Justice, J. (2009). A grounded theory of international student well-being. Journal of Theory Construction & Testing, 13(1), 27-32.

Mori, S. C. (2000). Addressing the mental health concerns of international students. Journal of Counseling & Development, 78(2), 137–144. https://doi.org/10.1002/j.1556-6676.2000.tb02571.x

Naylor, R. (2020). Key factors influencing psychological distress in university students: the effects of tertiary entrance scores. Studies in Higher Education. Advanced online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2020.1776245

Orygen. (2017). Under the radar. The mental health of Australian university students. https://www.orygen.org.au/Policy/Policy-Reports/Under-the-radar/Orygen-Under_the_radar_report?ext=.

Quinn, N., Wilson, A., MacIntyre, G., & Tinklin, T. (2009). ‘People look at you differently’: Students’ experience of mental health support within higher education. British Journal of Guidance & Counselling, 37(4), 405–418. https://doi.org/10.1080/03069880903161385

Riley, K. A., & Rustique-Forrester, E. (2002). Working with disaffected students: Why students lose interest in school and what we can do about it. Sage.

Rosa, E. M., & Tudge, J. (2013). Urie Bronfenbrenner’s Theory of Human Development: Its Evolution From Ecology to Bioecology. Journal of Family Theory & Review, 5(4), 243–258. https://doi.org/10.1111/jftr.12022

Russell, J., Rosenthal, D., & Thomson, G. (2010). The international student experience: Three styles of adaptation. Higher Education, 60(2), 235-249. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-009-9297-7

Ryan, R., Dowler, B., Bruce, S., Gamage, S., & Morris, A. (2016). The wellbeing of international students in the city of Sydney. University of Technology Sydney: Institute for Public Policy and Governance.

Sawir, E., Marginson, S., Deumert, A., Nyland, C., & Ramia, G. (2008). Loneliness and international students: An Australian study. Journal of Studies in International Education, 12(2), 148-180. https://doi.org/10.1177%2F1028315307299699

Shadowen, N. L., Williamson, A. A., Guerra, N. G., Ammigan, R., & Drexler, M. L. (2019). Prevalence and correlates of depressive symptoms among international students: Implications for university support offices. Journal of International Students, 9(1), 129-148. https://doi.org/10.32674/jis.v9i1.277

Skromanis, S., Cooling, N., Rodgers, B., Purton, T., Fan, F., Bridgman, H., Harris, K., Presser, J., & Mond, J. (2018). Health and well-being of international university students, and comparison with domestic students, in Tasmania, Australia. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 15(6), 1147-1160. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph15061147

Stallman, H. M. (2010). Psychological distress in university students: A comparison with general population data. Australian Psychologist, 45(4), 249-257. https://doi.org/10.1080/00050067.2010.482109

Sümer, S., Poyrazli, S., & Grahame, K. (2008). Predictors of depression and anxiety among international students. Journal of Counseling & Development, 86(4), 429-437. https://doi.org/10.1002/j.1556-6678.2008.tb00531.x

Thorley, C. (2017). Not by degrees: Improving student mental health in the UK’s universities. IPPR. www.ippr.org/publications/not-by-degrees

Veness, B. (2016). The wicked problem of university student mental health. Monash University Winston Churchill Trust.

Wilson, R., Murray, G. & Clarke, B. (2018). The RMIT belonging strategy: Fostering student engagement in higher education. In D. Wache & D. Houston (Eds.), Research and development in higher education: (Re) Valuing Higher Education, 41 (pp. 257-266), HERDSA.

Wosnitza, M., & Beltman, S. (2012). Learning and motivation in multiple contexts: The development of a heuristic framework. European Journal of Psychology of Education, 27(2), 177-193. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10212-011-0081-6

Published

2022-01-05

Issue

Section

Research Articles (English)

Categories

How to Cite

International Students’ Suggestions for What Universities Can Do to Better Support Their Mental Wellbeing. (2022). Journal of International Students, 12(4), 933-954. https://doi.org/10.32674/jis.v12i4.3877

Most read articles by the same author(s)