Cross-sectional study investigating the mental health and wellbeing of university students in Australia

IF 2.4 2区社会学 Q2 PSYCHOLOGY, SOCIAL

International Journal of Intercultural Relations Pub Date : 2025-04-12 DOI:10.1016/j.ijintrel.2025.102187

Weiyang Xiong , Blake Quinney , Daniel L. King , Kathina Ali , Marcela Radunz , Yufang Zhao , Mike Kyrios , Daniel B. Fassnacht

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Abstract

The mental health status of university students is a global concern. This study investigated the mental health and wellbeing of university students in Australia, with a focus on identifying potential differences between domestic and international tertiary students. It was hypothesized that international students would experience greater mental health challenges compared to domestic students. Building on previous research predominantly centered on domestic students, a diverse sample of 838 university students (M_age = 23.0, SD = 5.4; 69 % female) was recruited. The results indicated a significant prevalence (44.1 % and 93.3 %, respectively) of moderate to severe levels of psychological distress and moderate to high levels of loneliness among the sampled population. It was found that mental health outcomes were comparatively more favorable for Chinese international students than both domestic students and international students from other countries. These findings underscore the need for targeted interventions to address the specific mental health challenges that different student populations face.

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横断面研究调查心理健康和幸福的大学生在澳大利亚

大学生的心理健康状况是一个全球关注的问题。本研究调查了澳大利亚大学生的心理健康和幸福感，重点是确定国内大学生和国际大学生之间的潜在差异。研究假设，与国内学生相比，国际学生将面临更大的心理健康挑战。在以往主要以国内学生为中心的研究基础上，我们招募了 838 名大学生（年龄 = 23.0，标准差 = 5.4；69% 为女性）作为样本。研究结果表明，在抽样人群中，中度至重度心理困扰和中度至重度孤独感的发生率较高（分别为 44.1% 和 93.3%）。研究发现，与国内学生和来自其他国家的留学生相比，中国留学生的心理健康状况相对较好。这些发现强调了有必要采取有针对性的干预措施，以应对不同学生群体所面临的特定心理健康挑战。

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来源期刊

International Journal of Intercultural Relations Multiple-

CiteScore

4.30

自引率

14.30%

发文量

122

期刊介绍： IJIR is dedicated to advancing knowledge and understanding of theory, practice, and research in intergroup relations. The contents encompass theoretical developments, field-based evaluations of training techniques, empirical discussions of cultural similarities and differences, and critical descriptions of new training approaches. Papers selected for publication in IJIR are judged to increase our understanding of intergroup tensions and harmony. Issue-oriented and cross-discipline discussion is encouraged. The highest priority is given to manuscripts that join theory, practice, and field research design. By theory, we mean conceptual schemes focused on the nature of cultural differences and similarities.