Prevalence and correlates of mental health symptoms and disorders among US international college students. Academic Article uri icon

Overview

abstract

  • Objective: This study assessed the prevalence and correlates of mental health (MH) symptoms and diagnoses in international college students in the United States. Participants: The sample included 44,851 degree-seeking undergraduate students (42,428 domestic students and 2,423 international students). Methods: Logistic regression analyses were conducted using international student status to predict MH symptoms and diagnoses from the Spring 2017 administration of the ACHA-National College Health Assessment (ACHA-NCHA). Results: International students were less likely than domestic students to report a diagnosis of anxiety, comorbid depression and anxiety, or other psychiatric diagnoses. International students were more likely to report suicide attempts and feeling overwhelmingly depressed. Conclusions: Among international students studying in the US, lower rates of MH diagnoses despite higher rates of depressive symptoms and suicide attempts mirror similar trends seen in American-born minority students. University campuses should consider culturally sensitive and targeted psychoeducation, mental health services, and outreach programming.

publication date

  • January 31, 2021

Research

keywords

  • Mental Disorders
  • Students

Identity

PubMed Central ID

  • PMC8677361

Scopus Document Identifier

  • 85100319415

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

  • 10.1002/j.2161-1912.2011.tb00150.x

PubMed ID

  • 33522452

Additional Document Info

volume

  • 70

issue

  • 8