Mental health, coping strategies, and social support among international students at a Canadian university

Abstract

Objective. This study aimed to explore the mental health status, coping strategies, and social support of international students in Canada. Participants. Undergraduate and graduate international students studying at one Canadian university participated in an online survey. Methods. The survey consisting of four assessments—the Mental Health Continuum-Short Form, Kessler Psychological Distress Scale, the Carver Brief-Cope Inventory, and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support—was distributed during the winter and spring terms of 2020. Results. Of the 338 participants from 53 countries, 76% demonstrated optimal mental health without mental disorders; 86% used approach coping strategies. Those who are women, married, and Ph.D. students showed better mental health and lower psychological distress. Coping skills and social support significantly predict participants’ psychological distress and subjective well-being. Conclusions. This study findings address the gaps in meeting the mental health needs of international students and raise awareness of this population's unique mental health status.

Keywords:

• Coping strategies
• post-secondary students
• psychological distress
• stress
• support

Conflict of interest disclosure

The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest. The authors confirm that the research presented in this article met the ethical guidelines, including adherence to the legal requirements, of Canada and received approval from the Research Ethics Board of the University of Alberta.

Funding

No funding was used to support this research and/or the preparation of the manuscript.