Abstract
Background: As the international community has grappled to bring the corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) under control, many social factors have emerged and unbearable pressure has been placed on us all. This study aimed to explore the psychological symptoms and influencing factors of the pandemic on Chinese international students. Method: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) symptoms and other psychological symptoms were investigated using the PTSD Checklist Civilian Version (PCL-C) and the Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21). Demographic data and data pertaining to the impact of COVID-19 on Chinese international students was also collected.Result: Chinese international students in their fourth year of university education showed higher depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, and stress symptoms than students in other years of their degree programs. Each of these psychological symptoms were higher for Chinese international students in high school than for students in their first and second years of university education. Chinese international students who were abroad were found to be most anxious about the risk of infection, financial stress, and travel restrictions following the COVID-19 outbreak.Conclusion: Our study suggest that the effect of COVID-19 on Chinese international students’ psychological symptoms are significant. Our results are valuable for legislators and healthcare providers, who may need to develop effective psychological interventions for Chinese international students.
Highlights
At present, almost every country in the world is experiencing conditions created by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic
57.9% of them were 16-19 years old, 34.6% were 20-23 years old, and only 7.5% were 24-27 years old. Most of these Chinese international students were in their first year of university (35%) and 25.2% were in high school
The Chinese international students who were in a higher grade of their studies suffered more serious psychological symptoms than those who were in a lower grade during the post COVID-19 epidemic period
Summary
Almost every country in the world is experiencing conditions created by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Humankind’s contact with this severe acute respiratory syndrome, known as corona virus 2 (SARS-CoV2), will have both immediate and long-term consequences, within medicine and economics, and in domains of culture, education, etc The outbreak of this epidemic has brought with it the risk of death from viral infection, but has brought serious psychological pressure to global populations. Chinese international students who were abroad have faced unfair treatments and were discriminated in some countries, because they were being viewed as possible COVID-19 carriers This misconception is what causes public fear, alienation, and discrimination, which may lead to mental health problems, such as denial, stress, anxiety, and fear (Kang et al, 2020; King, Cabarkapa, Leow, & Ng, 2020). Our results are valuable for legislators and healthcare www.scholink.org/ojs/index.php/wjer
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