The mental health of international university students from China during the COVID-19 pandemic and the protective effect of social support: A longitudinal study

Abstract

Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic Chinese international students were reported to experience racism, food security issues and social isolation. However, no study has investigated the prevalence of these issues and the potential for worsening mental health in this population group during the pandemic. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the effect of this pandemic on the mental health of Chinese international students living in Australia and China, and the protective effect of social support. Methods: Data were extracted from a survey of Australian university students (April–June 2019) and follow-up during the pandemic (Sept-Oct 2020). The prevalence of anxiety, major depression and..