The Dispatch
Mental health support services on campuses key to student success
In the past few years, higher education institutions have gained a better understanding of the mental health challenges that many international students confront. These challenges can be detrimental to students’ ability to cope with different cultures and to acclimatise to new routines, peers, and independent living.
By Gauri Kohli, Contributing Writer
"COVID-19 negatively impacted the mental health of three in four students"
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A 2021 Global Student Survey by US-based edtech company Chegg suggested that COVID-19 negatively impacted the mental health and wellbeing of 56 percent of undergraduate students from 21 countries. The survey collected responses from more than 16,000 individuals aged 18-21.
Student Minds, a UK-based student charity, came up with a report titled ‘Understanding Student Mental Health Inequalities: International Students’ in 2022. The findings reflect that international students report higher levels of concern about a range of issues including their wellbeing, the quality of their student experience and the need for greater support. In January 2022, 47 percent of international students self-reported a current mental health issue. In September 2021, 81 percent of students looking ahead to the 2021-2022 academic year said they were concerned about it.
Mental health concerns affect students in Canada, too. A joint report by the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations and the Mental Health Commission of Canada in September 2022 reveals that COVID-19 negatively impacted the mental health of three in four students and worsened students’ pre-existing mental health challenges.
Another report on ‘Mental Health and Wellbeing in International Education’ by the Institute of International Education (IIE), US, released this month suggests that international students and those studying abroad continue to suffer from increased anxiety and a greater concern about the general state of the world.
Ultimately, all these surveys point to the need for programme administrators to proactively provide services that address the relevant needs of students.
Difficulties in accessing mental health support
There are certain challenges when it comes to accessing support services provided by higher education institutions.
According to Rose Stephenson, director of policy and advocacy, Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI), UK, students may come from cultures that either have more accessible mental health support, and a greater culture of openness, or a culture where seeking help or talking about mental health is stigmatised. This can make accessing support services difficult.
“For international students who do want to seek help, we can see an additional reluctance to do so if they feel that their parents will find out. Some international students will be in the UK on their parent’s health insurance policy,” she says.
“They may be worried that seeking support with their mental health will trigger a notice to their insurance company, and their parents being made aware of their situation. This may be a particular issue for students seeking help due to their LGBTQIA+ identity. Universities need to be clear about the confidentiality of their processes, as does the National health Service – particularly for international students.”.
Another aspect is that of loneliness in a different country. But this problem is not just limited to international students. HEPI estimates around 26 percent of UK students feel lonely all or most of the time, compared to 23 percent of students from the EU and 25 percent of students from the rest of the world. “Universities can continue to work on loneliness by raising awareness of the issue, providing a good social structure for students [with buddy systems for access as needed], social networking groups and interdisciplinary working,” adds Stephenson.
Sometimes, students are unaware of resources. “Students are also faced with a lack of understanding of what university supports are available to them,” says Rebecca Bone, executive director, Student Services, Deakin University. “There are financial concerns, academic pressure to perform well and fear that getting help could negatively impact their visa status.”
The Australian Universities Accord Interim Report, released last month, also highlights similar challenges. International students can face a range of significant pressures as they adjust to living and studying in Australia. “This can include social isolation and financial hardship, noting international students incur additional costs compared to domestic students, and are more vulnerable to workplace exploitation by unscrupulous employers,” says the report.
First-year students were particularly affected, experiencing “lower university belonging and higher loneliness” during the pandemic.
Established by the Australian government, the Accord Panel will provide its final report to the government at the end of this year. While most international students thrive while studying in Australia, the government recognises that studying in a new country can be challenging.
In the US, international students from systems outside the country may also create further barriers to identifying or diagnosing mental health needs, struggling with the local medical system, or seeing psychological support, according to the IIE report. In 2021, one‐third of US graduate students reported symptoms of post‐traumatic stress disorder, anxiety or depression. Host families and university staff were also undergoing their own mental health crises while international students relied on them for support.
"Economic turmoil, corruption or other significant political events can contribute to feelings of uncertainty, distress, and helplessness. "
"The importance of building a community and an environment accepting all students."
Measures to support students
International universities often provide access to free and confidential counselling services, access to support groups and orientation programmes to help students understand academic and social aspects of university life.
The Australian government has legislative requirements in place for education institutions to support international students’ wellbeing. “For students who experience mental health issues, there are a range of services available including their general practitioner or their overseas student health cover provider,” says a spokesperson from the Department of Education, Australian government.
“Australia’s higher education regulator, TEQSA [the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency], is responsible for ensuring universities uphold the Higher Education Standards Framework including specific requirements regarding student wellbeing and safety.”
The Department has contracted Deakin University, as part of the Best Practice International Student Engagement Project, to develop resources which support international student engagement.
The UK government also announced measures in 2020 when Michelle Donelan, former Universities Minister, launched Student Space, an online resource with funding of up to £3 million by the Office for Students (OfS).
It was designed to help students at English and Welsh universities and offers preventative support and immediate interventions for those in distress, including therapeutic interventions, stress relievers and quality-assured online resources.
Some universities will reach out to student populations affected by issues happening in home countries. Events such as the Russia-Ukraine war and Brexit have a significant impact on students.
Economic turmoil, corruption or other significant political events can contribute to feelings of uncertainty, distress and helplessness. Similarly, international conflicts can impact students from affected countries and wider regions, suggests research from Student Minds, UK. In the last few years, conflicts in Yemen, Afghanistan and Hong Kong have had a notable impact on international students from those countries.
To tackle these, many universities have emergency funds specifically targeted at those facing unexpected hardship as a result of global upheaval. For example, the University of South Wales, UK, has an International Student Emergency Fund which can provide discretionary assistance to eligible foreign students who are facing financial hardship due to significant unexpected and unforeseen circumstances.
While many students will reach out for support, the students who are most at risk in terms of mental wellbeing are those who don’t seek support. “Continuing to encourage students, particularly male students to access support is important,” says Stephenson. “Developing male mental health and male loneliness initiatives may help with this.”
One potential practice to encourage students to seek help is using pre‐departure orientations for addressing mental health issues. IIE’s report touched upon the importance of building a community and an environment accepting all students. “For organised study abroad programmes, this was frequently achieved through more intimate settings where faculty and staff knew every student by name and were engaged with students during extra‐curricular activities and experiential learning outside of the traditional classroom,” the report added.
Universities are also taking steps to integrate support services in the curriculum. For instance, the English Language Programs (ELP) at the University of Pennsylvania requires international students in their foundation year programme to take a course called ‘Wellness, Engagement, and Leadership.’ During the first semester, the health and wellness curriculum delivers modules on positive psychology, mindfulness, resilience and more. Another course called Skills for Success teaches about positive psychology, stress management, personal well‐being and self‐management.
Technology can play a pivotal role
Universities are increasingly using learner analytics to monitor student engagement and progress – and intervene if a students’ engagement or achievement drops. “Some technology solutions even predict the likelihood of students struggling at university, allowing for early intervention,” says Robin Gibson, marketing director, Kortext, which has developed a student engagement analytics platform for universities “This is a new and interesting area of technology to watch develop. We use learner analytics to inform student engagement and outcomes in the UK.”
Technology can offer easy access to self-help resources and information round-the-clock, allowing access to help outside traditional counselling service hours. It may also feel less confronting for students to engage with technology for support in the first instance, encouraging them to seek further assistance.
“The insight from aggregated data can also assist in identifying patterns and building effective student programmes and interventions. Besides an app for students which provides a range of interactive tools and resources to support them, we are also currently exploring chatbot and live chat options,” adds Bone.