Threats to the emotional wellbeing of mainland Chinese students studying in Australia: an interpretivist study

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7 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Purpose

In 2017, international students contributed almost $32 billion to Australia’s economy, more than half of which was attributable to students from China. Despite its historical popularity as a study destination, research suggests that these students confront numerous obstacles in pursuing their studies within Australia. In this study, the perspectives of these students were explored. The dominant issues raised by these students related to mental health and emotional wellbeing.
Methods

Nineteen students in one Australian university participated in one-on-one in-depth semi-structured interviews. Data were analysed using grounded theory approaches. Three broad themes were generated in the study: psychological stress (which was linked to language barriers, shifts in pedagogy, and changes in lifestyle); perceived safety (which was linked to lack of security, safety and perceived racial discrimination); and social isolation (linked to reduced sense of belonging; lacking close personal connections; and feelings of loneliness and homesickness).
Conclusions

Results suggested that a tripartite model of interactive risk factors may be appropriate for exploring how international students fare emotionally with their new environments.
Original languageEnglish
Article number2221912
Pages (from-to)2221912
Number of pages1
JournalInternational Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health and Well-being
Volume18
Issue number1
Early online date13 Jun 2023
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Dec 2023

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