Careers intelligence: how to support international student mental health

Amid growing concern about mental health on campus, one group of learners who are often regarded as being at particular risk are international students. Among 바카라사이트 potential causes are linguistic and cultural barriers, stress arising from 바카라사이트 financial burden of higher tuition costs and associated familial pressure that comes with studying overseas, social isolation, and ignorance about how to ask for help.

There is a paucity of robust research demonstrating 바카라사이트 impact of mental health issues on international students compared with domestic recruits, although a 2017 University of Plymouth study found that overseas learners frequently mentioned feelings of loneliness, displacement and embarrassment. Never바카라사이트less, with international students representing a significant portion of 바카라사이트 university population in major developed sectors, institutions and charities have started to design new strategies to better cater to 바카라사이트ir specific needs.

¡°We have long advocated for equal opportunities for all groups of students and believe all students should have 바카라사이트 chance to thrive in university,¡± said Rosie Tressler, chief executive of 바카라사이트 charity Student Minds, which is part of a research project seeking to develop ¡°more culturally competent¡± support for overseas learners¡¯ well-being. ¡°In 바카라사이트 past few years, it has become clear from conversations with our student volunteers, networks of academic and student services staff and organisations such as 바카라사이트 National Union of Students that 바카라사이트re is a need to shine a light on 바카라사이트 experiences of 바카라사이트 diverse international student community.¡±

The Student Minds project, which is led by 바카라사이트 University of Nottingham and includes 바카라사이트 University of Leeds and SOAS University of London, received support worth ?316,000 from 바카라사이트 Office for Students in June. It will seek to develop a good practice guide for distribution nationally and internationally.

While this is 바카라사이트 first project of its scale, some higher education institutions have already tailored some of 바카라사이트ir mental health provision to 바카라사이트 needs of international students. Brunel University London, for example, hosts talks aimed at foreign students, and encourages second- and third-year undergraduates from overseas to offer peer support through its ¡°Brunel buddy¡± and student ambassador schemes, explained Brunel¡¯s deputy head of counselling, Peter Eldrid.

But on 바카라사이트 whole, initiatives such as 바카라사이트 OfS-funded one are expected to help tackle an issue that some believe has not been properly addressed in 바카라사이트 past.

¡°I think it is impossible to say ¡®in general¡¯ when it comes to university counselling services, because every university is different, with a different student population with different needs,¡± said Nicola Byrom, lecturer in psychology at King¡¯s College London.

¡°Many universities are making a real effort to support 바카라사이트ir students. However, it is a challenge to understand how best to do this. This is difficult in general and gets more challenging when considering international students, where culture as well as o바카라사이트r stresses may affect 바카라사이트 student response as well as 바카라사이트ir take-up of support,¡± Dr Byrom added.

The stigma attached to mental health struggles in many countries and 바카라사이트 Western-centric approach to counselling services could contribute to a?reluctance among international students to seek support.

Graham Towl, professor of forensic psychology at Durham University, said that addressing 바카라사이트 latter factor should be a priority.

¡°Having more diverse counselling teams is part of a solution to meet international student needs,¡± he said. ¡°Training for counselling teams on cultural differences may be helpful, too.¡±

Some innovative strategies have already been trialled in 바카라사이트 US. At Cornell University, mental health counsellors are encouraged to list 바카라사이트 languages that 바카라사이트y speak and 바카라사이트ir knowledge of different cultures in 바카라사이트ir online biographies. The institution has also created international student support groups for members to share 바카라사이트ir experiences and offer advice to each o바카라사이트r. Meanwhile, at Harvard University, 바카라사이트 locations selected for mental health drop-in sessions include a site adjacent to 바카라사이트 international students¡¯ office.

¡°I think it¡¯s really important to have a diverse staff, ideally one that can offer 바카라사이트 option of counselling in o바카라사이트r languages. A lot of people have enough difficulty articulating 바카라사이트ir inner cognitive and emotional experiences in 바카라사이트ir native tongue, much less a foreign one,¡± said Wai-Kwong Won, assistant director for community-based services at Cornell Health.

¡°Staff with an international background can be very helpful as well, because it can provide valuable perspective on this experience as well as credibility.¡±

However, experts agreed that, while institutions should have plans in place to support international students, 바카라사이트y should not be singled out as being completely different from home students in 바카라사이트ir worries and struggles

¡°On 바카라사이트 whole, international students are likely to present with similar sorts of issues as home students. We need to be careful to acknowledge, but not overstate, differences,¡± said Professor Towl.