The mental health of international

students in Australian universities

Professor Trang Thomas and Dr. Sophia Xenos,Professor Trang Thomas and Dr. Sophia Xenos,

Ivan Mathieson, David Pavone, Diana Summers, & Naomi Ivan Mathieson, David Pavone, Diana Summers, & Naomi ThomasThomas

RMIT UniversityRMIT University

OVERVIEW

•Predictors of good adjustment

•PPsychopathology and sychopathology and ssuicidal uicidal iideationdeation

•Problem gambling Problem gambling

“My experience is that the international students are very unhappy. We invite them to Australia,

we take their money, then we just leave them to find their own way around, to pass or fail their

course, to make friends, or be left alone” (Counselling psychologist, Deakin University)

Recent research has drawn attention to the additional stressors experienced by IS and the impact on their

general well being.

Australian higher education institutions are experiencing significant growth in the number of IS enrolments

LLanguage difficultiesanguage difficulties CChanges in economic statushanges in economic status SSeparation reactionseparation reactions Unfamiliar social normsUnfamiliar social norms AA foreign educational system foreign educational system AAcademic performance expectations cademic performance expectations RRacism/prejudice acism/prejudice

COMMON DIFFICULTIES

What family variables influence homesickness?

How do the circumstances of the move predict homesickness?

What factors in the new environment predict homesickness?

Coming to Australia: Homesickness and adjustment

Students from Melbourne and RMIT University, 29 male, 31 female Aged 18-36 years; mean 21.9 years Countries of origin: Anglo-European, Africa, Malaysia, other Asian countries.

60 International Students 60 International Students surveyed on a 99-item questionnaire. Recruited through colleges and social clubs.

METHODOLOGY

Self-Report Measures

Demographics

Circumstances of move and pressure to succeed

Self-Esteem

Locus of Control

Coping Style

Family Cohesion

Homesickness

Settlement

RESULTS•The majority were only mildly homesick.

• Students were happy about being in Australia.

• No student endorsed the statement ‘I wish I had never come to Australia’.

Predictors of good adjustment

The importance of the family

• High self-esteem

• High family cohesion

• Low pressure for academic success.

• Being happy about the original decision to come to Australia.

• Coping: unwillingness to ignore problems.

• Frequent correspondence with home.

(1) Do IS report higher levels of psychopathology/suicidal ideation than domestic students?

(2) What factors impact on attitudes to help seeking in IS populations?

Psychopathology and Suicidal Ideation in Domestic & International Students

170 Australian born students 167 International students IS: 18-32 years; mean age 21.4 years Domestic: 18-30 years; mean age 20.6 years

337 Domestic & International 337 Domestic & International Students Students surveyed. Recruited through colleges, social clubs, and lectures/tutorials.

METHODOLOGY

Self-Report Measures

Brief Symptom Inventory

Positive and Negative Suicide Ideation Scale

Attitudes Toward Seeking Professional Psychological Help Scale Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scales

COPE Scale

Social Support Appraisals Scale

IS IS reported reported significantly significantly higher levels of higher levels of depression, suicidal depression, suicidal ideation, and somatisation than domestic studentsideation, and somatisation than domestic students

Higher levels of paranoid ideation in recently arrived ISHigher levels of paranoid ideation in recently arrived IS

No difference in reported levels of anxiety between IS and No difference in reported levels of anxiety between IS and domestic studentsdomestic students

RESULTS

Predictors of help seeking & suicidal ideation

IS reported less positive attitudes towards help seeking IS reported less positive attitudes towards help seeking

Depression, gender (male), length of time away, and Depression, gender (male), length of time away, and suicidal ideation predicted LESS willingness to seek helpsuicidal ideation predicted LESS willingness to seek help

Only support from FRIENDS was related to lower levels of Only support from FRIENDS was related to lower levels of suicidal ideation and greater willingness to seek helpsuicidal ideation and greater willingness to seek help

GamblingCognitive

distortions

• Cultural differences

• Greek people : social reasons, Chinese and Vietnamese: to make money

• Australian students prefer games of chance, e.g. lotteries, International students preferred casino table gambling.

• Chinese are most at risk of becoming problem gamblers

Research Questions

Are cognitive distortions related to the gambling behaviour of IS and their risk of developing problem gambling?

Do cultural background (Chinese, non-Chinese) and country of origin influence gambling behaviour and risk of becoming a problem gambler?

Method

280 international students participated.

Two groups: Chinese and others Control Belief Scale Gambling behavior Gambling problem (SOGS)

Results

25.4 percent of the students were gamblers in their home country. Of those who had been non-gamblers, 60.3 percent STARTED to gamble in Australia.

A significant proportion of the new gamblers were at risk of becoming problem gamblers

Findings

Need for money is a significant predictor Chinese students from Malaysia gambled

more than Chinese from other countries. Chinese students from Hong Kong were

more at risk for developing problem gambling than Chinese from other countries

Conclusion

International students in Australia are vulnerable.

We have duty of care for our IS Research is needed in development of

effective help services and increasing mental health service utilisation e.g. mentoring