Chi Maher
Introduction
Stressors are psychological events that students tend to see as demanding, challenging and threatening to their safety (Cao et al., 2021). They can affect mental function, performance, and individual behaviour. A stressor is a stimulus that causes stress. Stress is a natural human response prompting us to address challenges and threats in our lives (Van den Bergh, 2021).
In Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in the UK students generally experience stress due to academic work demands and living away from home (Karaman et al.,2019). However, international students face not only the same stress as other UK-domiciled students; they also face additional stressors related to cultural adjustment, financial concerns and living away from their home country. Stressors may also occur when international students are unable to cope with their new environment in terms of culture and norms. It is often difficult to adjust to the culture and norms in another country. Adjusting to life in a foreign country with a different culture can be stressful for some students. For example, social norms in the UK such as, clubbing and drinking alcohol might be unfamiliar social activities for some international students making it harder for them to adjust to their new environment or maintaining new University friendships (Lomer and Mittelmeier, 2021).
HEIs already make considerable efforts to enhance international students experience, such as, pre-arrival information and orientation events on arrival and buddy support (Wawera and McCamley, 2020 ). However, stressor amongst international students remain at a higher level compared to their UK-domiciled peers (Tang et al., 2021). With this in mind, I carried out qualitative research (Maher, 2015) to understand the causes of stressors amongst international postgraduate University students. So far, I have interviewed 42 students (18 female and 24 male) from the following countries: China, India, Nigeria, Pakistan, Hong Kong, Bangladesh, Malaysia, and Ghana.
It has been insightful to gain first hand understanding of stressors for international students, for instance, students reported experiencing feeling of meaninglessness (inability to make sense of what is happening to them in their new environment), social estrangement (feeling of loneliness),difficulties with adapting to learning different methods of studying, financial challenges, adapting to a new culture, adapting to a new educational system in a short period of time, heavy academic workload, lack of proficiency in written English, adapting to a new climate and unable to have a conducive environment to study/complete their work in their respective accommodations.
Other stressors include:
- Crisis within their home environment for instance, when a family member becomes very ill, a close relative dies, natural disasters, or unrests in their home country they experience feelings of helplessness and unable to help their families.
- Family/sponsor expectations of success and outcomes, sometimes international students are not registered on the course of their choice, but the course their sponsors wants them to study.
- Loneliness occurs amongst international students because of prolonged absence from their home country and family members.
- No access to UK funding – particularly for disabled students
- Reluctance to seek help for wellbeing – stigma/losing face/worries around confidentiality.
- Poor diet/poor sleep routines.
Suggestions from an Experienced HE Educator’
Every individual has a unique way of dealing with stress, what causes stress for one individual may differ from another. Stress is a part of life, it can either help us learn and grow or cause serious problems. Prolonged, unexpected, uninterrupted, and unmanageable stress can be very damaging to one’s mental health.
- International students who work and study at the same time should stick to the twenty hours per week job requirement. This will enable them to focus on their studies.
- Faced with stressors and challenges, students should seek help from personal academic tutors and wellbeing services.
- Students should be open-minded and ready to adapt to their new environment having a registered way of learning will make it difficult for them to get acclimatised to their new learning environment.
- Maintain your support system – keep in touch with your family, friends, and the significant others that know and understand your background through social media platforms.
How can Academics help?
- Provide a supportive and inclusive learning and teaching environment, academics can play a crucial role in helping international students manage stress and succeed academically.
- Create opportunities for students to network and build relationships with peers.
- Providing pastoral support by offering a listening ear, being understanding and non-judgmental.
- Avoid the use of acronyms and jargons in the classroom.
- Provide more clarity around plagiarism at the start of term, mid-term and before assessment submission deadlines.
- Use formative assessment to measure students’ understanding of plagiarism.
- Implement feedforward practices (close to assessment submission dates) that assist students in making revisions before submitting their work.
How can wellbeing services Help?
- Be empathetic of the unique stressors that international students may face
- Encouraging students to engage in activities that promote physical, emotional, and mental well-being.
- Be aware that students might experience instances of perceived discrimination and racism and processing these challenges with students in a supportive space.
- Provide mindfulness training to help students manage their mood and stress to be sensitive to their needs.
- Affirm the positives of seeking help ‘lots of students feel like this, and getting help is a sign of strength’.
Conclusion
Stressors can be managed when each individual understands the coping mechanism and strategies that works for them. A number of interventions should be provided to help international students with their environment, social and academic adjustments, such as institutions providing:
A supportive and inclusive learning and teaching environment, academics can play a crucial role in helping international students succeed academically.
Developing enhanced wellbeing culture within HEIs will alleviate many challenges and stressors international students experience that affects their academic progress and wellbeing.
Much can be gained by HEIs working more sympathetically sensitively with international students. This will enhance multiculturalism as an inclusive academic body with a global outlook. International students who benefit from a supportive learning environment are the best ambassadors for HEIs on their return to their home country.
References
Cao, C., Zhu, C., & Meng, Q. (2021). Chinese international students’ coping strategies, social Support resources in response to academic stressors: Does heritage culture or host context matter? Current Psychology, 40, 242-252.
Cogan, N. A., Liu, X., Chin-Van Chau, Y., Kelly, S. W., Anderson, T., Flynn, C., … & Corrigan, P. (2023). The taboo of mental health problems, stigma, and fear of disclosure among Asian international students: implications for help-seeking, guidance, and support. British Journal of Guidance & Counselling, 1-19.
Forbes-Mewett, H., & Sawyer, A. M. (2019). International students and mental health. Journal of International Students, 6(3), 661-677.
Jääskeläinen, T., López-Íñiguez, G., & Phillips, M. (2020). Music students’ experienced workload, livelihoods, and stress in higher education in Finland and the United Kingdom. Music Education Research, 22(5), 505-526.
Karaman, M. A., Lerma, E., Vela, J. C., & Watson, J. C. (2019). Predictors of academic stress among college students. Journal of College Counselling, 22(1), 41-55.
Khanal, J., & Gaulee, U. (2019). Challenges of international students from pre-departure to post-study: A literature review. Journal of International Students, 9(2), 560-581.
Lomer, S., & Mittelmeier, J. (2021). Mapping the research on pedagogies with international students in the UK: A systematic literature review. Teaching in Higher Education, 1-21.
Maher, C. (2015). Students as Active Participants in Curriculum Design: Exploratory Implications for Career Path Choices. ReflectEd, St Mary’s Journal of Education, 5, 1-12.
Open Access Government: https://www.openaccessgovernment.org (2022).
Tang, N., McEnery, K., Chandler, L., Toro, C., Walasek, L., Friend, H., … & Meyer, C. (2021). Pandemic and student mental health: A cross-sectional and longitudinal analysis of mental health symptoms amongst university students and young adults after the first cycle of lockdown in the UK.
Vogt, K. S., & Johnson, J. (2023). Student mental health crisis and the question of responsibility: Should universities invest more resources in prevention than intervention? Evidence-Based Nursing, 26(1), 23-23.
Van den Bergh, O. (2021). Principles and practice of stress management. Guilford Publications.
Wawera, A. S., & McCamley, A. (2020). Loneliness among international students in the UK. Journal of Further and Higher Education, 44(9), 1262-1274.
World Health Organisation (WHO) https://www.who.int (2023)
Dr Chi Maher (c.maher@greenwich.ac.uk) has established a portfolio of research outputs in national and international scientific journals. She has been responsible for ensuring academic quality and improvements in teaching, learning, scholarship for programmes and knowledge exchanges networks in the UK and Europe.