Acculturation under crisis: A systematic review of international students’ psychological adjustment during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

This systematic review synthesizes empirical evidence on the psychological impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on international students’ acculturation experiences, distinguishing between acculturative stressors (e.g., discrimination, language barriers) and COVID-19-specific stressors (e.g., fear of infection, lockdown-related uncertainty). Following the PRISMA framework, three major databases—PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science—were searched, yielding 108 records, of which 21 met the inclusion criteria and were assessed for methodological quality. One of these studies was subsequently retracted and another was excluded based on a journal-quality threshold (Q4 / lowest SJR band), resulting in a final thematic synthesis based on 19 empirical studies. Using a structured thematic synthesis approach, the findings were categorized into three thematic domains: (1) primary acculturative challenges, (2) coping strategies and resilience mechanisms, and (3) long-term consequences of pandemic-related adaptation. The review reveals that international students faced significant disruptions to their academic engagement, heightened social isolation, and financial insecurity—factors that collectively intensified psychological distress. Although students demonstrated adaptability by employing diverse coping strategies, institutional support systems in host countries were frequently perceived as inadequate. Implications for policy and practice in international higher education are discussed.