Psychological well-being of international students: factors and conditions for ensuring IT

An important issue in this regard is the search for factors to preserve and maintain the psychological well-being of foreign students as a factor of motivation for educational activities, continuing education at Ukrainian universities and interest in obtaining education.

The purpose of the article is to reflectively analyse the research on the psychological well-being of international students at university, with further generalisation of the characteristic features and formulation of hypotheses on the identification of factors of psychological well-being of international students in Ukrainian universities.

Methods

analysis, synthesis and generalisation of published materials on the phenomenon under study, which made it possible to characterise the main factors of psychological well-being of foreign students studying at universities around the world. Predictive analysis - for identifying ways to study the psychological well-being of foreign students in the conditions of studying at Ukrainian universities.

Results

The problem of psychological well-being is not new for psychological science. Back in Aristotle's time, the phenomenon of "well-being" was of interest to philosophers, historians, writers, and teachers. Aristotle himself singled out "goods" as physical (health, strength, etc.), external (fame, success, wealth, etc.) and spiritual (sharpness of mind, moral purity, etc.). He also introduced the concept of "higher good" as the highest goal to which all living beings strive, it is what people seek for the fulfillment of themselves, their existence, and the highest happiness. Such a higher good can be love for one's neighbor, rejection of passions and freedom of spirit, or the harmonious development of one's personality. The highest good is self-realization, the desire to realize one's potential. Hence, the understanding that the basis of psychological well-being is self-realization, but the way to achieve it can be different: eudaemonistic (in which a person realizes his own potential in his activity expression), or hedonistic (as subjective well-being associated with the feeling happiness, life satisfaction, etc.). As a construct, psychological well-being was first formulated in the works of C. Riff and consists of six components: self-acceptance, personal growth, positive relationships, ownership of the environment, life purpose and autonomy (Ryff, 1989). As noted by O. Chuiko "The interest in studying this phenomenon is driven by the need to record the state of human existence that, despite material / financial/ political / social advantages or limitations, allows a person to feel happy, to find meaning for themselves, without focusing only on the tasks of survival and adaptation" (Chuiko, 2021a, p. 62).

Transitioning to a new educational and cultural environment, as a situation of losing familiar social connections and relationships, can be difficult for international students, leading to a number of psychological problems. In fact, "international students often experience anxiety, loneliness, culture shock, and academic pressure while studying at foreign universities". In addition, language barriers and cultural differences can exacerbate these problems, making it difficult for international students to integrate and adapt to the new environment. And, of course, it is worth mentioning the lack of friends and relatives. It is one thing when a student is studying in their home country, even if it is still far from home, and quite another when they are enrolled in a foreign institution. In some cases, this, along with culture shock and all the problems listed above, can lead to feelings of homesickness and, in some cases, depression.

Scientific studies have proven that the mental health of international students varies, and its dynamics depend on the year of study at the university. Thus, it was found that the greatest load falls on the first courses of study (it is likely that the reason for this is the situation of "culture shock" in general), the load gradually decreases, but never reaches the level it was at the beginning (Macaskill, 2013; Mason, 2006; Cooke et al., 2006). A number of researchers point out that since the student period coincides with the period of early adolescence, the probability of the appearance of psychological problems typical for this age is high. Such problems are called depression, anxiety, stress, frustration. Accordingly, there are reasons to talk about students as a particularly vulnerable population group (Kessler et al., 2007). The identified problems with mental health development in "local" students are likely to be present in international students as well, as the stressors they experience are even more severe.

In particular, it has been found that there are several factors that affect the psychological well-being of international students in the university environment. According to Yoon and Lee, "cultural adaptation, academic performance, and social support have a significant impact on the psychological well-being of international students" (Yoon, & Lee, 2010, p. 103). The study found that students who experienced higher levels of cultural adjustment and academic performance reported higher levels of psychological well-being. Conversely, those who experienced lower levels of social support reported lower levels of psychological well-being.

According to a study: "during the COVID-19 pandemic, psychological distress, including anxiety and depression, was more prevalent among international students compared to local students" (Choi, & Lee, 2018, p. 1). Another study also found that international students were much more vulnerable during the pandemic, as they "faced a wide range of psychosocial problems, ranging from internal problems (e.g. depression, anxiety, dispositional and situational loneliness) to intercultural difficulties (i. e. homesickness, hatred, discrimination)" (Chen et al., 2022).

Among the factors influencing psychological well-being, R. Bista, L. Foster (2020), name the level of development and standard of living of the country where the international student is studying. In their opinion, the more developed the country, the higher the well-being of a foreign student. In addition, according to them, the standard of living in a country can significantly affect the psychological well-being of an international student studying there. A higher standard of living, including access to quality healthcare, education, housing and social support systems, can contribute to a positive psychological experience for international students. On the other hand, countries with lower standards of living can present challenges and stressors that can affect a student's well-being.

When international students study in a country with a high standard of living, they often enjoy better infrastructure, amenities and overall quality of life. This can lead to a sense of security, comfort and satisfaction, which has a positive impact on their psychological well-being.

This fact makes us suggest that the state of war in Ukraine, which is accompanied by the destruction of the basic foundations of security, large economic losses, disruption of transport infrastructure (for example, the closure of airports), migration processes, etc. are factors that put a serious stress load on foreign students.

The analysis of educational trends in modern higher education shows that the key positions are occupied by the use of social media or social networks. Today, this is an integral component of the educational socialization of students, which, in our opinion, has especially intensified during the Covid-19 period. The main advantages and possibilities of using social media are mentioned in the studies. In particular, these are: 1) the speed of messages 2) the ability to share audio and visual content 3) the creation of student communities and the ability to communicate 4) operational interaction with teachers, which positively affects academic success (Mason, 2006; Uusiautti, Satu, & Maatta Kaarina, 2014).

A study by American researchers examined the relationship between psychosocial well-being and social media use by international students in the United States at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, when social isolation was mandatory. Four groups with distinctive psychosocial profiles were identified, with the "unadjusted" international students reporting the highest social media engagement compared to other groups. Thus, it was confirmed that there is a person-specific relationship between psychosocial well-being and social media use (Chen et al., 2022).

The analytical search revealed that social support is crucial for the psychological well-being of international students in the university environment. In the study of Jennifer Hefner and Daniel Eisenberg (Hefner, & Eisenberg, 2009), the peculiarities of the risk of social isolation of foreign students were revealed. It was found that social support plays a major role in overcoming these risks. Thus, students who have a low socio-economic status, or belong to racial or ethnic minorities, and do not have high social support, experience significant problems with mental health, are at risk of depression.

Positive correlations were found between the level of social support and psychological well-being in Chinese students. This relationship was also shown to be partially mediated by resilience and spirituality. Another important conclusion was made in the context of this study, namely the role of emotional and instrumental support in the context of psychological well-being, which can enhance the potential of students' academic success (Chen, & Qiu, 2015).

In our opinion, an important conclusion has been made about a key person who plays the role of a liaison in the process of providing support. Such a key person is the teacher, whose competence is to establish relationships, organize communication, create an appropriate environment of support, acceptance and communication between students (Cruce et al., 2006). Other studies speak of problems in this area. Thus, Finnish scientists have found that students often feel that they do not belong to any group or "not heard" because there is no practice of discussing academic difficulties, future plans, career prospects, etc. Hence the role and professional position of the teacher as an organizer of meetings, exchange of information and support, as well as a way of creating social relationships and increasing the "social capital of students" (Kuh et al., 2008, Lahteenoja, 2010).

In a cross-cultural study presented in the monograph "Modern Technologies and Practices of Social Rehabilitation", O.V. Chuiko illustrated the role of instrumental support provided to Ukrainian students of Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv on academic mobility programmes at foreign universities in 2019-2020. For example, we quote the following statements of students: "Very good attitude towards foreign students! Upon arrival, many events were held to advise foreign nationals on studying, living and the German mentality"; "Excursions were held, we were actively involved in the student community by both teachers and students themselves"; "I was given the opportunity to be a member of clubs and communities, to attend all events".

63.6 % of respondents indicated that the staff of foreign universities includes specialists whose task is to provide assistance and support to foreign students, including special psychologists, student mentors (Mexico, Finland), personal tutors for extra lessons (Kenya), lawyers and judges (Romania), psychologists, philosophers (Poland); psychologists, tutors, job search consultants; consultants for students with poor academic performance; nannies, consultants for international students; assistants for people with disabilities (Germany).

Reflecting on the peculiarities of studying at a foreign university, one of the respondents noted the following: "I noticed that we (in Ukraine) have a completely different attitude towards foreign students; they seem to be not included (emphasis added) in student life; I would like to see interesting events for them, where they could communicate with our students, become members of interesting student clubs, try themselves in the student council, etc." (Chuiko, 2021b, p. 140).