International Student Mental Health Perceptions and Help-Seeking Themes

Twenty international students at Nantong University in China participated in semi-structured interviews about mental health perceptions and help-seeking behaviors. The data consists of verbatim interview transcripts analyzed to produce five main themes and 16 subthemes. Magnus Michael Sichalwe conducted this qualitative study, with data collected between January 14th and February 4th, 2025.

Use Cases

• Analyze the 'mental health literacy' theme to understand diverse student definitions of mental well-being.
• Identify specific 'challenges faced' subthemes, such as isolation and academic pressure, to inform targeted campus support programs.
• Examine 'barriers to seeking professional help' subthemes like stigma and privacy concerns to design more effective outreach.
• Use the 'coping strategies' theme, including reliance on peer support, to model informal support networks.
• Evaluate student 'recommendations for improving support', such as ensuring confidentiality and enhancing cultural competence, for policy development.