The Comprehensive Mental Health Treatment of Chinese International Students: A Case Report

ABSTRACT

Chinese international students make up the largest number of international students in the United States. They face many stressors that may impact their mental health, such as language barriers, social isolation, academic and financial pressures, and acculturation stress. Yet, there is limited guidance on case conceptualization and treatment models for Chinese international students in university counseling center settings. We present a case report of a 19-year-old, first-year, female undergraduate student from China to illustrate a comprehensive approach for the mental health treatment of Chinese international students. Based on our understanding of the interaction between the student and her influencing environment from a multicultural and ecological vantage point, we intervened on a systems level to achieve a favorable outcome. Our interventions included a multidisciplinary team approach with a student-centered perspective, and advocacy on an individual and organizational level. We conclude with suggested guidelines for the treatment of Chinese international students.

KEYWORDS:

• Chinese international students
• comprehensive treatment
• counseling
• mental health
• multicultural
• psychological distress
• treatment

Acknowledgment

We would like to acknowledge Kanwarjit Pahwa, Ph.D., for her contribution to the IRB application and her recommendation of using the ACA advocacy model which was incorporated into this article.