The impact of discrimination on the psychological wellbeing and ethnic identity of international students in North Cyprus

Abstract

The social categorization theory suggests that ingroup bias is a common cognitive bias that can result in discrimination against outgroup members. In recent years there has been a notable increase in the international student body globally as well as an increase in the diversity of the students. Considering this background, it is imperative to investigate the social experiences of this group of students. The current research investigates experiences of discrimination among international students and how they influence their ethnic identity and psychological well-being. A sample of 386 students was recruited from 2 universities in Northern Cyprus using a convenience sampling technique. The findings show a positive relationship between discrimination and psychological distress. The findings also show that ethnic identity is negatively correlated with discrimination and psychological distress. International students who reported higher scores of discrimination showed higher levels of stress and depression. This is because discrimination would result in social exclusion or isolation. High levels of discrimination are associated with low ethnic identity scores among international students. The study shows that ethnic identity does not mediate the impact of discrimination on psychological well-being (psychological distress, depression, anxiety, stress). The findings also show that there are significant differences in discrimination based on race and religion this may be linked to cultural distance between the host and home countries. Considering these findings, educational institutions should increase support services offered to international students, offer awareness and sensitivity training for multicultural interactions and, also incorporate authentic sustainability curricula.