IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v21y2024i12p1562-d1529745.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Study Abroad Angst: A Literature Review on the Mental Health of International Students During COVID-19

Author

Listed:
  • Daisuke Akiba

    (School of Education, Queens College & The Graduate Center, The City University of New York, Queens, New York, NY 11367, USA)

  • Michael Perrone

    (School of Education, Queens College, The City University of New York, Queens, New York, NY 11367, USA)

  • Caterina Almendral

    (LaGuardia Community College, The City University of New York, Long Island City, NY 11101, USA)

Abstract

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic presented unique and unprecedented challenges for international students, those studying at institutions of higher education outside of their home countries, due to their distinct circumstances and vulnerabilities. This literature review examines the multifaceted mental health burdens they experienced and highlights the need for targeted support and interventions. Methods: A rigorous search across three databases (i.e., PubMed, PsycINFO, and ERIC) yielded 50 empirical studies for inclusion in this literature review. A six-phase thematic analysis framework was employed to identify and synthesize key themes. Results: Seven prominent themes emerged: (1) academic and professional disruptions; (2) challenges navigating international student status; (3) social isolation and loneliness; (4) difficulties with living arrangements; (5) financial and food insecurity; (6) health concerns for self and loved ones; and (7) experiences of discrimination and xenophobia. Conclusions: This review highlights a range of tolls that mental health consequences took on international students, and it suggests the need for targeted interventions and support services to address these challenges. It also identifies critical research gaps, such as the need for longitudinal studies and comparative analyses with domestic students. The implications for inclusive policies and supportive environments to promote international students’ well-being are discussed.

Suggested Citation

  • Daisuke Akiba & Michael Perrone & Caterina Almendral, 2024. "Study Abroad Angst: A Literature Review on the Mental Health of International Students During COVID-19," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 21(12), pages 1-24, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:21:y:2024:i:12:p:1562-:d:1529745
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/21/12/1562/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/21/12/1562/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Melissa James-MacEachern, 2018. "A comparative study of international recruitment – tensions and opportunities in institutional recruitment practice," Journal of Marketing for Higher Education, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 28(2), pages 247-265, July.
    2. Kong, Dongmin & Zhang, Bohui & Zhang, Jian, 2022. "Higher education and corporate innovation," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 72(C).
    3. Yushi Mai & Xitong Huang & Yingting Su & Ruixiang Gao & Lei Mo, 2022. "Achievement Emotions in Selective Schools: Reexamining the Happy-Fish-Little-Pond Effect in an Extreme Case from the Chinese Collectivist Context," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(22), pages 1-15, November.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Zhou, Xiaoxiao & Jia, Mengyu & Li, Wenqing & Zhao, Xin & Gatto, Andrea & Ma, Xiaowei, 2024. "Higher education or scientific research: Which one contributes more to China's green innovation?," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 94(C).
    2. Liu, Menghe & Li, Yuxiao, 2022. "Environmental regulation and green innovation: Evidence from China's carbon emissions trading policy," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 48(C).
    3. Jin, Yige & Dong, Nanyan & Tian, Gaoliang & Zhang, Junrui, 2023. "Wisdom of the masses: Employee education and corporate risk taking," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 118(C).
    4. Lai, Shaojie & Chen, Lihan & Wang, Qing Sophie & Anderson, Hamish D., 2023. "Bank competition and corporate employment: Evidence from the geographic distribution of bank branches in China," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 154(C).
    5. Li, Xiao-Lin & Si, Deng-Kui, 2024. "Does financial market liberalization promote corporate radical innovation? Evidence from China," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 95(PB).
    6. Liu, Guangqiang & Lv, Lingli, 2022. "Government regulation on corporate compensation and innovation: Evidence from China's minimum wage policy," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 50(C).
    7. Wang, Xuefeng & Liu, Haiyun, 2023. "FDI in services and firm innovation," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 56(C).
    8. Kong, Dongmin & Liu, Boyang & Zhu, Ling, 2023. "Stem CEOs and firm digitalization," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 58(PC).
    9. Zhao, Yi & Fu, Renhui & Gao, Fang, 2024. "The impact of stock market liberalization on long-term investment: Evidence from mainland–Hong Kong stock connect programs in China," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 86(C).
    10. Dong, Hanmin & Zhang, Lin & Zheng, Huanhuan, 2024. "Green bonds: Fueling green innovation or just a fad?," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 135(C).
    11. Yang, Fang & Ma, Yang & Tang, Xi & Ye, Xinhai & Chen, Xiaoye & Zhang, Ruochen, 2024. "Listing on the stock exchange and firm innovation," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 66(C).
    12. Xiaoxiao Zhou & Xinyue Hu & Mei Duan & Licheng Peng & Xin Zhao, 2024. "Go for Economic Transformation and Development in China: Financial Development, Higher Education, and Green Technology Evolution," Evaluation Review, , vol. 48(1), pages 32-62, February.
    13. Keqi Huang & Julan Du & Jiawu Dai, 2023. "Higher education expansion and robot imports: evidence from China," Economic Change and Restructuring, Springer, vol. 56(6), pages 4339-4369, December.
    14. Lin, Chen & Wei, Lai & Xu, Ying, 2023. "Transforming firm innovation: International evidence on consumption tax adoption," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 56(C).
    15. Liu, Chen & Yang, Wei, 2023. "Does social insurance stimulate business creation? Evidence from China," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    16. Chen, Han & Wu, Linsheng, 2024. "Manager's entrepreneurial experience and firm innovation," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 66(C).
    17. Xuan Leng & Yichuan Zhang, 2024. "The Frontiers in Manufacturing Technologies Initiative and University Innovation," China & World Economy, Institute of World Economics and Politics, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, vol. 32(5), pages 197-225, September.
    18. Liu, Shasha & Kong, Dongmin & Zhang, Jian, 2024. "Air pollution-induced brain drain: Evidence from inventor mobility," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 91(C).
    19. Xiaoxue Liu & Jingyun Zhou & You Wu & Na Hao, 2022. "The Influence of Party Organization Involvements in Corporate Governance on Innovation: Evidence from China’s Private-Owned Enterprises," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(24), pages 1-30, December.
    20. Shu, Li & Wang, Wei, 2023. "Human capital and trademarks: Evidence from higher education expansion in China," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 52(10).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:21:y:2024:i:12:p:1562-:d:1529745. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.