Mental health help-seeking intentions & coping strategies of Chinese international students in the United States

BackgroundChinese international students (CIS) in the United States may face unique mental health challenges that are often overlooked in discussions about mainstream college student needs.ObjectiveThis study aims to investigate the predictors of mental health (MH) professional help-seeking intentions among CIS at a large public Midwestern university, as well as the obstacles that hinder their use of professional MH services.MethodsThe study used quantitative and qualitative approaches to gather data on CIS' help-seeking attitudes. Quantitative analysis focused on the association between specific factors and help-seeking intentions. Qualitative coding of open-ended questions provided additional insights into obstacles and suggestions for improving mental health support.ResultsThe study identified several factors influencing the mental health help-seeking intentions of Chinese international students. Two primary negative predictors were a preference for emotional self-control and concerns about the questionable quality of treatment. Conversely, having previous experience with professional mental health services, both in China and the United States, was found to be a positive predictor of help-seeking intentions. Additionally, qualitative analysis of open-ended responses revealed further obstacles to seeking help and provided useful suggestions for enhancing mental health support for Chinese international students in college settings.ConclusionsThe study identifies key factors that influence CIS' attitudes toward seeking professional mental health services. Understanding these factors can help in developing strategies to better support the mental health of CIS in college settings.LimitationsSeveral limitations must be acknowledged in this study. The cross-sectional design limits the ability to draw causal inferences from the data. Additionally, the sample may not be fully representative of the broader population of Chinese international students, which may affect the generalizability of the findings. Self-reported data may also introduce response biases. Future research should consider longitudinal approaches and a more diverse sample to validate and expand on these findings.