Changes in Psychological Challenges, Positive Experiences, and Coping Strategies among International Students in the United States before and during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Study
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Study Design
2.2. Participant Selection
2.3. Interview Setting
2.4. Data Collection and Instrument
2.5. Data Analysis
2.6. Ethical Considerations
3. Results
3.1. Experiences before COVID-19
3.1.1. Challenges
Identity Crisis
Because moving here, it was very much like a bleaching process. It’s like you pack your entire life into three suitcases, leave everything behind, and you just plopped here, and now you have to work and you have to achieve what you came here for. Your hobbies you used to have, the friends you used to talk to, the places, the food that you used to eat, the places I used to know, all that it’s just part of the past now, and you’re kind of, almost like completely bleached as a person.(Sean, age 25, male, Lebanon)
Education over here, COVID or not, is expensive and therefore the weight on the responsibility of completing the education would be heavier compared to being an in-state student …. That’s one of the things that no one really understands, and you’re going to have to take care of your living costs and stuff. You can only work on campus and nowhere else and that’s probably the only source of income that you can get apart from your parents. So the gist of it is being independent and responsible for every facet of your own life, whereas before … you’re living in a cushy environment for your parents [to] take care of everything, but that changed.(Stephen, age 24, male, Malaysia)
Limited Resources
Just going to the library all the time, but that was useful because I end up with a bunch of resources that you usually wouldn’t know if you just sit in a class and go home. Yeah, I think there’s a lot of resources that you have to dig through partly because like [in] the U.S., school website is hard to navigate. You have to Google everything, [including] academic advising.(Susan, age 20, female, Vietnam)
I need information about school because I took courses in community college before transferring to a university. It’s kind of bad for me … because I don’t get enough credit information about transferring. Because you randomly took the classes [at the university] that you don’t need to, [which would] waste time and money.(Robert, age 32, male, Thailand)
Racism and Discrimination
I was walking downtown Santa Cruz one day and then this homeless person was like “Stop coming to the United States and stealing our jobs.” Just because I look like Asian and my English wasn’t fluent, … he immediately thought that I came here from [a] foreign country. He said those things, I wasn’t really offended but I was like “These things happen to those innocent people who just want to come here and study”. To realize that, it’s not just American dream and then happy all the time. That was a challenge for me.(Evelyn, age 23, female, Japan)
Language Barrier
Learning academic terms was really hard for me …. I didn’t know the academic term as well as [the] speaking term, like people use [a] different language from what they use in essay[s], right? So it was really hard and then one time I was taking anatomy …. In anatomy, you learn terms like medial and lateral. And I was like, “[Are] our nipples medial or lateral to shoulder?” I was like, “What are nipples?” …. I straight up didn’t know. But I was still shy to ask those questions [be]cause I thought that everybody was expect[ing] to know those terms.(Evelyn, age 23, female, Japan)
Another challenge that I had is the language, the language that people use here is very different from the English that I was taught. People use a lot of slang and a lot of informal words that I have no idea what they’re talking about …. I feel kind of ashamed if I tell people that I don’t understand what they’re saying.(Nancy, age 23, female, Vietnam)
I think the biggest challenge for me was trying to learn English. Just becoming fluent in English because I’m a shy person, and so I didn’t want to talk if I didn’t know what exactly I was talking about. I was trying to learn the language first so that I can express myself fully. I mean even now that [I’m] a little bit more fluent, I still can’t fully express myself sometimes.(Edward, age 23, male, Philippines)
Academic Challenges
The workload is very heavy. In my hometown, you just have to come to a class one or two times a week. In the States, you attend a class [for] like three hours. The homework and assignments and a lot of reading probably have to take three times to do it …. For example, one of my class[es], you have to read all the textbook beforehand. So when you come to class, the professor just give[s] you a pop quiz, five questions and then you close your textbook …. We [then] get into the debate session, you have to tell your own opinion, but I was so shy, and my English [wa]s not good enough, so I ha[d] a lot of thinking, but I [could] not say a word in front of them.(Denise, age 30, female, Taiwan)
Something that was really hard for me was when I was really stressed. I didn’t really feel like there were many people I could tell because no one in my family had gone to college before. They were all so happy that I was going to college, and I was doing things. That was good, but then it’s kind of stressful because when I didn’t do well, I would always worry that I [would] disappoint them, and I think a lot of international students have the same thing.(Nicole, age 25, female, South Africa)
Financial Struggle
The main challenge every international student would face is financial stability. Many of them would have taken loans and there is always a burden or oppression of satisfying God for completing the loan as soon as possible to get a good job, and then they pay off the loan because the interest rate is quite high in India, and that has to be paid very quickly or else it becomes quite a big burden.(Ernest, age 26, male, India)
In Canada, as far as I know, students can work out[side] of the university for some time and that helps them financially. But in America, we are not allowed to work while we are studying. We can work at [the] university and the payment is too low. In some universities, the positions get full very soon …. If in the mid-semester, you go and just apply for a job, your chances [are] really low to get that job. I think that’s one of the problems studying in America as an international student. There are not much financial help.(Lois, age 25, female, Iran)
I think the challenges, personally, it’s getting a job. There’s not a lot of on campus jobs to begin with, even before COVID, so it’s hard for me to land a job on campus. I’m still applying right now, hopefully, for fall to get more opportunities but yeah, if you’re not working here, the conversion rate of your original currency to U.S. dollars can be a little daunting. Because if you want to spend money on food here it’s pretty much four times the amount you normally spend in your own country and so being able to work here would allow you to bypass that currency exchange rate.(Stephen, age 24, male, Malaysia)
Specifically for students from countries like India, where they just took a conversion of Indian money into U.S. dollars, you will end up paying a lot of money …. For my application fees, I had paid more than two or three months of my salary just [to] apply to colleges …. I think this is something that colleges should also look into your admission fee. It shouldn’t just be an umbrella fee for everybody, because clearly everybody’s not from the same background. It could be a little bit different depending on what country you’re from, or how much you’re earning.(Cheryl, age 25, female, India)
Culture Shock
You come from very different countries …. Literally how you cross the street is completely different and so during the first three months I’d say you’re in this extremely hyper-nervous state or just you’re trying to learn the rules and norms …. That was something that I was absolutely terrified about, but for people here, they just do it regularly …. You’re very just unsure because you don’t know the rules of society here. You don’t know how things work and it’s kind of a bit stressful.(Sean, age 25, male, Lebanon)
I was born and raised in a country where … everyone knows everyone, and everyone was very nice and kind to each other and they act as if they’re one big family. And when I came here, everyone [wa]s just looking out for themselves and everyone really ha[s] this big idea of personal space. That kept me re-evaluating every action I d[id] with the people around me.(Shirley, age 18, female, Iraq/UAE)
3.1.2. Positive Experiences
Offline School
Before [COVID-19], I would go to school in the morning and I would just stay there until the evening even though I didn’t have class [be]cause there was always something to do. There were people to meet, and you can study in the library, which I kind of liked and you could get involved too …. I would just basically live on campus compared to actually living at home.(Stephen, age 24, male, Malaysia)
It’s pretty fun [be]cause [university name] is a pretty big campus and I’ve been enjoying the seminars. I’m the guy who likes to be in class because I like the Socratic seminar type of learning. I really hate video lectures and with no interaction whatsoever. So it was really going well before the pandemic.(Ben, age 24, male, Myanmar)
I made new friends. [I was] more open-minded and more socialize[d] to talk to everyone and I learned a lot [from] my friends and my professor who came before me, like immigrants, and understand that if we try hard, we can overcome challenges. Before COVID, my experience [was] really nice and interesting because I had a chance to practice communication skills.(Kelly, age 23, female, Vietnam)
3.2. Experiences during COVID-19
3.2.1. Challenges
Escalated Identity Crisis
When I said how it bleaches you, [the] chance to rebuild your hobbies, it put all of that on hold. It just completely stopped that and you were kind of stuck in that self-identity crisis for much longer than you would be with no idea what’s going on [and] why you’re feeling the things you are feeling.(Sean, age 25, male, Lebanon)
There are many international students that wanted to visit their family …. We knew that we [could] not go home [be]cause if we went home, we couldn’t get back to school and we didn’t know when the school w[ould] be open so everything was a big question mark and nobody could decide what to do.(Lois, age 25, female, Iran)
Higher Experience of Racism and Discrimination
Asian people like me sometimes feel discriminated because of COVID. Some people believe [the] Chinese spread it around the world. For Asian people like me, when going out to buy food, [we get] attention from other people. This is the story of my sister. [When] she [was] going out to [the] supermarket in Mississippi to buy groceries, American people came and asked us to take off the mask [saying], “You’re not allowed to wear [a] mask in supermarkets. If you are sick, just go back home” with [an] aggressive voice and she [(her sister)] called me [saying she was] feeling scared …. It took her months to get things settled.(Raymond, age 28, male, Vietnam)
If you look at social media or [the] news, there are a lot of bad comments [about] international students and some negative comments [of] my country … This gives you some negative emotions … You have the feeling all the time [when] you look at a newspaper, watch the news [on] TV.(Linda, age 29, female, China)
Online Learning Challenges
COVID was a stagnation. While it [(COVID-19)] goes outside the educational circle, it still affects your personal and professional life. If your personal life becomes this chaotic, it creeps into your education, your research work …. When you’re forced to go through [hardships] at home, [the] internal mess you have with your personal issues are brought into class and it did affect your ability to focus to study because you can’t go to [the] library anymore.(Sean, age 25, male, Lebanon)
It’s definitely not better. I don’t know how I passed my classes because I cannot focus …. All these zoom classes give me fatigue and I have a lot of meetings too …. I’m basically just going through materials and not going that in-depth [with] my schoolwork, so I would say I’m not learning anything … Virtual learning, that’s definitely not what I’m getting used to.(Debra, age 20, female, Ukraine)
You don’t want to do work [and] I don’t really interact with a lot of people. You just want someone to ask you, “How are you doing? I know you had an exam last week, how did that go?” To have someone [to] send you a message and say, “Hey, I know you were really stressed about that. How did it go?” But nobody does that. It doesn’t really feel like anyone cares.(Nicole, age 25, female, South Africa)
I got burned out more easily [be]cause I slept in the same room [and] studied in the same room, so everything is so confined and I felt tired most of the time. I think that has affected my mood and [my] overall health a lot, which may have contributed to me burning out quicker.(Jonathan, age 22, male, Malaysia)
Heightened Financial Struggles
It was really difficult and challenging to get [an] on-campus job and there was no money [(income)]. The campus was closed [and] there were only a few jobs that were open so that made it really hard in the first year to get [an] on-campus job.(Earl, age 26, male, India)
I had an on-campus opportunity [but] because of this lockdown, the offer was revoked. They had to cut down many people because they don’t need [them] right now. That actually created a little bit of stress. I [thought] that I would get this opportunity to manage expenses, but all of a sudden, I don’t have it anymore. I tried reaching out to professors for TA positions and I got three positions, but not all of us [(international students)] could get [the opportunity] so some people had to manage.(Matt, age 29, male, India)
Students were very frustrated about having to pay the same amount of tuition even though we didn’t go to school and use all the stuff that we’re supposed to use. But for international students [it] was worse because we have to pay like twice or even three times more tuition and [that] is really unfair …. [It] is a waste of money because when we came to the US, [it] is not just what we learn but it’s the experience of going out and meeting people and making connections and see[ing] how things go here.(Nancy, age 25, female, Vietnam)
Legal Status Concerns
I couldn’t see the end of the pandemic and my visa [was] expiring so I’m like, “What’s going on?” The time just [went] on and I’m still not learning anything.(Debra, age 20, female, Ukraine)
It’s really stressful for international students because we always have to remember our visa [status]. The unit requirement [for] my major, some of the classes are only offered in certain semesters. So the senior project, for example, you can only start in the fall semester. So if I don’t start this fall, I have to postpone my graduation by another year. And [I] can’t start the senior project if [I] don’t pass the class …. You kind of have to stress about it.(Nicole, age 25, female, South Africa)
I remember last summer, one day, I was checking my Twitter feed and there was a tweet about students who are starting here [(in the US)] fully online, they had to get back home. And for me, … I was crying because I didn’t know if I c[ould] get back [and] when the COVID [would be] over. I was like, what if I go home and I cannot get back and the schools reopen. I should get a visa again and everything will be like hell. It was really annoying. I was crying a lot.(Lois, age 25, female, Iran)
Lockdown Protocol
I’ve lived by myself the whole pandemic. I moved and I have no roommates in my dorms and I feel that’s going to make me really sad and isolated from people so sometimes I wouldn’t have motivation to even go to those classes. Just the anxiety of the future, … anxiety and depression.(Debra, age 20, female, Ukraine)
I was just living by myself [with] sad human interaction. Right after the lockdown, I only went to [the] grocery. Personally, there was nowhere else to go. I was just living by myself [with] no human interaction. I didn’t make a ton of friends either. It was pretty much like a basic level of friends, so it wasn’t close friends. That was pretty much it during the whole lockdown. After COVID [was] pretty depressing.(Carl, age 23, male, Cambodia)
I have not seen my family for two years now. I plan to stay during the summer because back in my home country, things are not going quite well. So that’s a challenge. I miss my family a lot and I know that the visa requirements, you need to obey. And because [of] the pandemic, I cannot travel.(Eric, age 20, male, Vietnam)
I don’t think it’s been really good academically because you’re not in a good mind space. Some days, it’s really hard to wake up and you just want to sleep. You don’t want to do work, but then you have to. And before, I wasn’t like that.(Nicole, age 25, female, South Africa)
3.2.2. Positive Experiences
Convenience of Online Format
My experience [with] online learning is so much better. To be honest, right now, I prefer online learning rather than in person. I don’t have to go outside. Because I don’t drive, I take the bus and other public transportation so it can be a little pain in the butt to get up early and you have to sit on a bus for an hour or two to get to school and back.(Bruce, age 21, male, Iran)
We cannot imagine if there’s no recording, how can we survive …. Because, for example, we have the statistics class and the teacher speaks so fast. [The teacher is] from India and she taught well, but she speaks so fast. So even native students, they said that the professor speaks three times [the] normal speed. So we will have to watch the recording. That’s the good thing.(Denise, age 30, female, Taiwan)
3.3. Coping Strategies
3.3.1. Managing Challenges as an International Student before COVID-19
Physical Activity
Exercise, going out for running and jogging, that was a major head clearer …. Because when everything … is flatlined and … everything’s the same indoors, exercise gives you a bit of adrenaline, a bit of dopamine. It gives your day a peak, that little achievement in your day.(Sean, age 25, male, Lebanon)
I love traveling, I love exploring new places. I feel I’m the one who always finds new places when my American friends are already fed up with everything. So they like going to places with me because I’m always excited and so happy and screaming when I see the ocean. That’s been the greatest part.(Debra, age 20, female, Ukraine)
Social Exposure
Before COVID, I think it was really good. I spent a lot of time on campus because I took a lot of classes because I really liked learning. I was hanging around on campus. I liked campus. It felt like a safe place to be and my teachers, I got along with people …. I was also a tutor so that helped me connect with people somewhere too …. I spoke to more people, and I would see more people and we cared about how people were doing.(Nicole, age 25, female, South Africa)
I have a lot of international student friends and [the] challenges they were facing, I am facing as well so we share experience[s], especially during the lockdown …. [It’s] kind of reassuring to know that you’re not the only one, you’re not alone.(Carl, age 23, male, Cambodia)
Self-Improvement
I love plants. I have a lot of plants in my house. I’m a crazy plant person and having plants around actually keeps me happy. Plants [are] actually the reason that I feel a lot less stress.(Nancy, age 25, female, Vietnam)
We moved around a lot when I was young so blending into that culture is a necessity for me. My coping strategy when I first got here was to mimic as much as I could so that I don’t look different from the others. That was the main thing, and as I got better at that, I started working on myself, which is finding my true self in the culture that I’m living in.(Edward, age 23, male, the Philippines)
I came to a point where I don’t care about mindset. Before, I couldn’t even talk to American people because I was so afraid of making mistakes in English but I was like, “It’s okay.” In my mind, they make mistakes too so that reduces a lot of stress.(Evelyn, age 23, female, Japan)
I got a very bad grade on my first midterm. It’s really bad. I never got a grade so bad. I was so worried because I [could] not fail …. I just got a better plan to study harder. Fortunately, I got a better grade next time …. I don’t know how others do it, but this is how I did it.(Linda, age 29, female, China)
Mental Self-Care
It was meditation, most importantly breathing exercises. I found that it’s a very effective way of controlling your own thoughts. Learning how to control your thoughts, learning how to direct your thoughts, what to focus on because when your life is a bit of chaos …. You end up in a situation where you haven’t had someone to talk to you. You are just left with your thoughts so meditation was kind of a portal … to calming down and working towards [a] solution.(Sean, age 25, male, Lebanon)
3.3.2. Changes in Managing Challenges as an International Student Due to COVID-19
Increased Frequency of Online Engagement/Communication
During the lockdown, since you can’t go out, thank God for group chats and Zoom and video calls. [I had] a group chat with some poli sci [(political science)] [friends] from the same majors and we talk a lot, and we have game nights and movie nights.(Ben, age 26, male, Myanmar)
You obviously miss the home food and thanks to the technology, for the stress, during the morning hours [I] speak to [the] home country people. I just use tools like Facetime [and] WhatsApp so I can connect with them and talk with them.(Patrick, age 23, male, India)
Elevated Motivation for Self-Improvement
Since the lockdown, [I] was basically [at] home, but I tried to do something fun to take care of myself as well. I started to read and study seriously about other foreign languages. Currently, I started to learn Chinese and Korean.(Alice, age 22, female, Japan)
I also like to cook …. Cooking really helped because I can still make the foods that I used to eat when I was in Japan or in Saudi Arabia or in the Philippines here in the U.S. Cooking is a really big part of my coping strategy.(Edward, age 23, male, the Philippines)
3.3.3. On-Going Support Systems as an International Student Regardless of COVID-19
Campus Resources and Job Opportunities
I’m working as a research assistant. That helped me have some kind of tangible work …. Working with a project that had goals, rather than studying and having [an] exam …. [It gives] you a sense of purpose during that time.(Sean, age 25, male, Lebanon)
Some professors have been really amazing because since this pandemic, there has [been] a lot of problems …. Sometimes I just shut everything out, I mute all my social media … and then some of my professors know what kind of student I’m like. I’m the loud, talkative guy, and if they don’t hear me for a couple [of] days, a lot of professors have checked in …. So I’ve been really appreciating these people.(Ben, age 24, male, Myanmar)
I have a perfect advisor. She’s amazing and I will never forget her. She helped me and understood me a lot and I really enjoy working with her. I’ve been lucky to find her and actually, she was the reason that I applied for [university name] …. I’m really happy.(Lois, age 25, Female, Iran)
Family/Relatives and Friends
Coming out to the financial support, my dad was very supportive with my education [with] my plans of doing [a] master’s [degree] and none of them became a hurdle to me.(Ernest, age 26, male, India)
Definitely, my cousin’s family [has been supportive]. My uncle calls me [at] a very random time but he’s always checking in with me like, “Hey, [how] are we doing?” That helps me and also, I met my cousin at the end of February, because she planned to meet her friend from high school in San Jose, so she invited me since I ha[d]n’t met [her] and I wanted to catch up with her too. These are the support, like family aspect.(Alice, age 22, female, Japan)
I shared these [(school-related problems)] details … with my uncle and aunt. I used to go back [on] the weekends in the fall semester because they lived in [city name], … so I was able to tell them because they’ve both studied in [an] American university. They have more understanding of what I’m talking about so they were able to understand more than my parents.(Betty, age 19, female, Singapore)
In class, we often have [a] Discord channel, … a social media [for] students in the same class and then there’s a channel for Asian American. In school, … even though there are no international students, I find a lot of common things to talk about because they are Asian American …. If anything happens, I can talk to them, … and they support me.(Eric, age 20, male, Vietnam)
I have a study circle. I talked a lot with friends here in [university name]. Once in a week, I actually interact with them and get to know what they’re studying and how to go over the rest of the semester or whatever we [are] actually pursuing.(Ralph, age 24, male, India)
3.3.4. Desired Support Systems as an International Student
Financial Aid for Tuition Cost
Financial help would have been nice …. I expect more from school because we pay much more [for] education costs. I feel our school lacks their promotion of the resources … [and] just connecting students to the available opportunities …. I feel like they [are] just [like], “Okay, you arrived here. You go figure out by yourself how Americans live.”(Debra, age 20, female, Ukraine)
Approachable Campus Mental Health Resources
I know there are resources and there are places to ask for help, and this was told to us in orientation. They told us multiple times like, “Please don’t feel afraid. You can reach out to us, there’s no judgment.” And I feel like there are plenty [of] resources. But I feel [there are] students who don’t want to reach out [or ] … approach somebody …. I feel they wouldn’t share contact [with] somebody from the university for mental health …. I feel like overall, mental health has not [been] given as much importance or not talked about as much.(Betty, age 19, female, Singapore)
Welcoming Campus Programs/Clubs for International Students
It was my first semester at [university name], and I was really confused because I did the online orientation and it wasn’t super good. Even after the orientation, I didn’t know how to register for classes. Then I made an appointment and I was talking to her [(academic advisor)], and she was kind of rude and anytime I asked her something …. We have questions and things are confusing and they shouldn’t make us feel bad for having those questions. They should be helping us. They should be telling us, “We’re okay, we can do this,” standing up for us advocating. But sometimes it feels they’re just doing it because it’s their job, they don’t really care. So I feel for international students, they really need to get good advisors who actually want to help people and who want to teach them how to navigate the system.(Nicole, age 25, female, South Africa)
Transportation Resources
I remember calling sick once, and I never went anywhere outside the campus place so I didn’t know where the hospital [was] or resources [to] drive me there or [the] bus stations [to] take. Even going to school by bus [was] a challenge to me. I got lost multiple times and I wish there were someone telling me go to this route or this route.(Shirley, age 18, female, Iraq)
Paid Research Opportunities
I think better research positions, having more research positions in [the] university. Paid research positions make them more motivated, to study better and feel more independent.(Lois, age 25, female, Iran)
U.S. Federal Information (Taxes)
I wish during orientation, they ha[d] talked to us about taxes. That one is very stressful to figure out on your own because doing taxes wrong here is like a big federal crime so you’re absolutely terrified about it. I wish the school did a better job during orientation to talk about this …. That was something missing [and] I think that’s very important to cover.(Sean, age 25, male, Lebanon)
3.3.5. Closest Individual for Mental Support
Friends
Sometimes, [I] reach out to my other international friends who’ve been here longer than me to [ask] advice. Also, my local friends here understand me and [the] kinds of challenges I have as an international student. They bring up their local perspective to see things [in] more than one way and help me to understand.(Alice, age 22, female, Japan)
I have one friend, [who is a] student as well …. He is [a] senior to me in [university name] …. When I have questions about [the] courses that I need to pick or the internship that I’m applying to, [he] helps [with] the interviews.(Earl, age 26, male, India)
Family
When I told them [(parents)] that I wanted to go to [the] United States, even though it took a while for them to understand why I wanted to come here and why I wanted to do it, by explaining it, they understood and were supporting me since then.(Evelyn, age 23, female, Japan)
[I] talk with them [(parents)] … and they will help me to learn what I [should] do in this situation, just giving me some advice, and this is very helpful. They always say … “You are still young, you can have lots of problems. You have a great future waiting for [you]”.(William, age 25, male, China)
Having a supportive family is something that is really needed. There must be someone who says “Okay, I care about you. Don’t worry, I’ll be here for you and everything will be fine”. Fortunately, I have this situation.(Lois, age 25, female, Iran)
Partner
My boyfriend, he’s not an international student. He lives here … [so] my boyfriend is always there. Whatever I have in mind, I always go to him. He cannot offer much help, but he can offer emotional help. He never rejected me when I came to him and asked him for help or advice.(Shirley, age 18, female, Iraq)
My girlfriend … is an international student from Cambodia as well …. We’re pretty much there for each other … because we’re really looking forward to our future, especially when we get a job in America. We want to continue our life here, maybe work for the H1-B visa or get a Green Card eventually …. The hope is to stay in America, get a job, [and] build a life here.(Carl, age 23, male, Cambodia)
Professor
I formed some close bonds with a lot of the faculties and staff from my community college. They are always checking me up…and have been very helpful [in] academic support …. My professor has been the best. She [is] always checking in with me. She’s always giving me professional advice with my career aspirations.(Ben, age 24, male, Myanmar)
All the things that you’ve done, she [(professor)] has done …. She has three masters and a PhD from Cornell so she’s my role model. [I] always sought her help whenever I needed it as well, and she has always been supportive …. I want to walk her path.(Ben, age 24, male, Myanmar)
4. Discussion
4.1. Psychological Challenges Due to Unfamiliar Environment before COVID-19
4.2. Increased Mental Instability during COVID-19
4.3. Various Coping Strategies before and during COVID-19
4.4. Limitations
5. Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Participant Number | Participant Pseudonym | Age | Program | Gender | Country | First Enrolled as College Student in the U.S. | College Student in the U.S. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Sean | 25 | Masters | Male | Lebanon | Before Spring 2020 | 1–2 years |
2 | Debra | 20 | Undergraduate | Female | Ukraine | Before Spring 2020 | 1–2 years |
3 | Nicole | 25 | Undergraduate | Female | South Africa | Before Spring 2020 | 2–5 years |
4 | Robert | 32 | Undergraduate | Male | Thailand | Before Spring 2020 | 1–2 years |
5 | Ben | 24 | Undergraduate | Male | Myanmar | Before Spring 2020 | 2–5 years |
6 | Betty | 19 | Undergraduate | Female | Singapore | Before Spring 2020 | 1–2 years |
7 | Shirley | 18 | Undergraduate | Female | Iraq/UAE | Before Spring 2020 | Less than 1 |
8 | Kimberley | 24 | Undergraduate | Female | Hong Kong/China | Spring 2020 | 2–5 years |
9 | Edward | 23 | Undergraduate | Male | The Philippines | Before Spring 2020 | 2–5 years |
10 | Alice | 22 | Undergraduate | Female | Japan | Before Spring 2020 | 2–5 years |
11 | Nancy | 25 | Masters | Female | Vietnam | Before Spring 2020 | 2–5 years |
12 | Carl | 23 | Undergraduate | Male | Cambodia | Before Spring 2020 | 5 or more years |
13 | Lois | 25 | Masters | Female | Iran | Before Spring 2020 | 1–2 years |
14 | Jonathan | 22 | Undergraduate | Male | Malaysia | Spring 2020 | 2–5 years |
15 | Jack | 25 | Masters | Male | India | Before Spring 2020 | 1–2 years |
16 | Michelle | 19 | Undergraduate | Female | Bangladesh | Spring 2021 | Less than 1 |
17 | Eric | 20 | Undergraduate | Male | Vietnam | Before Spring 2020 | 1–2 years |
18 | Evelyn | 23 | Undergraduate | Female | Japan | Before Spring 2020 | 2–5 years |
19 | Earl | 26 | Masters | Male | India | Spring 2020 | 1–2 years |
20 | Stephen | 24 | Undergraduate | Male | Malaysia | Spring 2020 | 1–2 years |
21 | Bruce | 21 | Undergraduate | Male | Iran | Before Spring 2020 | 2–5 years |
22 | Joan | 21 | Undergraduate | Female | Vietnam | Before Spring 2020 | 2–5 years |
23 | William | 25 | Masters | Male | China | Before Spring 2020 | 5 or more years |
24 | Linda | 29 | Masters | Female | China | Before Spring 2020 | 2–5 years |
25 | Patrick | 23 | Masters | Male | India | Spring 2021 | Less than 1 |
26 | Ernest | 26 | Masters | Male | India | Fall 2020 | Less than 1 |
27 | Denise | 30 | Masters | Female | Taiwan | Fall 2020 | Less than 1 |
28 | Cheryl | 25 | Masters | Female | India | Fall 2020 | Less than 1 |
29 | Susan | 20 | Undergraduate | Female | Vietnam | Before Spring 2020 | 2–5 years |
30 | Matt | 29 | Masters | Male | India | Spring 2020 | 1–2 years |
31 | Lawrence | 23 | Masters | Male | India | Spring 2021 | Less than 1 |
32 | Ralph | 24 | Masters | Male | India | Spring 2021 | Less than 1 |
33 | Kelly | 23 | Undergraduate | Female | Vietnam | Before Spring 2020 | 1–2 years |
34 | Raymond | 28 | Masters | Male | Vietnam | Spring 2021 | Less than 1 |
Domain 1. Before COVID-19 | |
Q1: | Before COVID-19, how would you describe your overall experience as an international student at your institution? How was your education progressing as an international student in the US? |
Q2: | Before COVID-19, What do you think were some unique challenges that international students faced in the United States? What specific challenges did you face? |
Domain 2. During COVID-19 | |
Q3: | How has your living situation changed since COVID-19 began? (location, positively, negatively, etc.) |
Q4: | How has your academic performance been impacted by COVID-19? If it has been negatively or positively impacted, what are the reasons for the change? |
Q5: | Can you share any other challenges you faced as an international student due to COVID-19? |
Domain 3. Coping Strategies | |
Q6: | How do you manage the challenges of being an international student? What do you do to reduce stress or for leisure? |
Q7: | What type of support system do you have? (Academic, family, friends, etc.) |
Q8: | How supportive have your family members been? Are you the first in your family to attend college? How understanding is your family of your experience being a college student? |
Q9: | Who is the closest person to you that you share when you are facing challenges? How do they support you to continue your education in the United States? |
Themes | Sub-Theme | Categories | Codes |
---|---|---|---|
Before COVID-19, international students faced the psychological challenges of living against academic and financial pressure and adjusting their lifestyle to an unfamiliar environment. | Challenges | Identity crisis | Loss of identity |
Pressure to grow up and become independent | |||
Limited resources | Accessibility to campus resources | ||
Lack of academic advising | |||
Racism and discrimination | Hate speech | ||
Language barrier | Difficulty to learn at school | ||
English as a second language | |||
Difficulty in expressing themselves | |||
Academic challenges | Heavy workload | ||
Family pressure | |||
Financial struggle | Paying tuition | ||
Limited job opportunities due to legal status | |||
Currency change | |||
Culture shock | Laws and regulations | ||
Individuality in the US | |||
Positive experience | Offline school | University community | |
Learning opportunities | |||
Meet new people/make new friends | |||
During COVID-19, international students experienced an increase in mental instability due to the challenges of adapting to the pandemic restrictions and maintaining legal status. | Challenges | Escalated identity crisis | Losing motivation and sense of purpose |
Feelings of uncertainty for the future | |||
Higher experience of racism and discrimination | Racial exclusion (e.g., Asian hate) | ||
Inferiority | |||
Online learning challenges | Lack of separation of learning and home environment | ||
Inability to stay focused and motivated | |||
Academic stress/burn out | |||
Heightened financial struggles | Lack of employment opportunities due to lockdown | ||
Quitting/losing jobs | |||
Tuition and fee prices did not change (paying as if still in-person) | |||
Legal status concerns | Visa expiration | ||
Fulfilling requirements to maintain legal status | |||
Fear of denied re-entry (if returning from visiting family in home country) | |||
Lockdown protocol | Unstable mental health (anxiety and depression) | ||
Lack of social interaction/Isolation | |||
Family separation and being independent (homesickness) | |||
Loss of structure in daily life | |||
Positive experience | Convenience of online format | No need to commute for class | |
Recorded lectures | |||
To cope with the challenges of living in a foreign country before and during COVID-19, international students relied on family and community resources for emotional support and focused on enhancing self-care. | Managing challenges as an international student before COVID-19 | Physical activity | Exercise/gym |
Exploring new locations | |||
Social exposure | Campus involvement | ||
International friendships | |||
Self-improvement | Hobbies | ||
Adjusting mindset | |||
Time management | |||
Mental self-care | Meditation | ||
Changes in managing challenges as an international student due to COVID-19 | Increased frequency of online engagement | Group chats/video calls with friends | |
Connecting with home country | |||
Elevated motivation for self-improvement | Learning new foreign languages | ||
Learning to cook | |||
Support systems as an international student regardless of COVID-19 (on-going) | Campus resources and job opportunities | Research assistant opportunities | |
Department counselors/course professors | |||
International student services | |||
Family and friends | Financial support | ||
Emotional support | |||
Social support | |||
Academic support | |||
Desired support systems | Financial aid for tuition cost | ||
Approachable campus mental health resources | |||
Welcoming campus programs/clubs for international students | |||
Transportation resources | |||
Paid research opportunities | |||
US federal information (tax) | |||
Closest individual for mental support | Friends | Empathize with struggles | |
Provide advice and resources (internship information) | |||
Family | Encouraging of studying abroad | ||
Supportive of educational aspiration | |||
Unconditional emotional support | |||
Partner | Provide advice without rejection | ||
Share future goals | |||
Professor | Provide professional advice | ||
Role model figure |
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Park, C.; Shimada, S.; Trisnadi, A.I.; Angelica, P. Changes in Psychological Challenges, Positive Experiences, and Coping Strategies among International Students in the United States before and during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Study. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2024, 21, 1232. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21091232
Park C, Shimada S, Trisnadi AI, Angelica P. Changes in Psychological Challenges, Positive Experiences, and Coping Strategies among International Students in the United States before and during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Study. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2024; 21(9):1232. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21091232
Chicago/Turabian StylePark, Chulwoo, Shannon Shimada, Airi Irene Trisnadi, and Patricia Angelica. 2024. "Changes in Psychological Challenges, Positive Experiences, and Coping Strategies among International Students in the United States before and during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Study" International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 21, no. 9: 1232. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21091232