The Mental Health eClinic (MHeC) aims to deliver best-practice clinical services to young people experiencing mental health problems by making clinical care accessible, affordable, and available to ...young people whenever and wherever they need it most. The original MHeC consists of home page with a visible triage system for those requiring urgent help; a online physical and mental health self-report assessment; a results dashboard; a booking and videoconferencing system; and the generation of a personalized well-being plan. Populations who do not speak English and reside in English-speaking countries are less likely to receive mental health care. In Australia, international students have been identified as disadvantaged compared with their peers; have weaker social support networks; and have higher rates of psychological distress. This scenario is acquiring significant relevance as Spanish-speaking migration is rapidly growing in Australia, and the mental health services for culturally and linguistically diverse populations are limited. Having a Spanish version (MHeC-S) of the Mental Health eClinic would greatly benefit these students.
We used participatory design methodologies with users (young people aged 16-30 years, supportive others, and health professionals) to (1) conduct workshops with users to co-design and culturally adapt the MHeC; (2) inform the development of the MHeC-S alpha prototype; (3) test the usability of the MHeC-S alpha prototype; (4) translate, culturally adapt, and face-validate the MHeC-S self-report assessment; and (5) collect information to inform its beta prototype.
A research and development cycle included several participatory design phases: co-design workshops; knowledge translation; language translation and cultural adaptation; and rapid prototyping and user testing of the MHeC-S alpha prototype.
We held 2 co-design workshops with 17 users (10 young people, 7 health professionals). A total of 15 participated in the one-on-one user testing sessions (7 young people, 5 health professionals, 3 supportive others). We collected 225 source documents, and thematic analysis resulted in 5 main themes (help-seeking barriers, technology platform, functionality, content, and user interface). A random sample of 106 source documents analyzed by 2 independent raters revealed almost perfect agreement for functionality (kappa=.86; P<.001) and content (kappa=.92; P<.001) and substantial agreement for the user interface (kappa=.785; P<.001). In this random sample, no annotations were coded for help-seeking barriers or the technology platform. Language was identified as the main barrier to getting medical or psychological services, and smartphones were the most-used device to access the internet. Acceptability was adequate for the prototype's 5 main elements: home page and triage system, self-report assessment, dashboard of results, booking and video visit system, and personalized well-being plan. The data also revealed gaps in the alpha prototype, such as the need for tailored assessment tools and a greater integration with Spanish-speaking services and communities. Spanish-language apps and e-tools, as well as online mental health information, were lacking.
Through a research and development process, we co-designed and culturally adapted, developed and user tested, and evaluated the MHeC-S. By translating and culturally adapting the MHeC to Spanish, we aimed to increase accessibility and availability of e-mental health care in the developing world, and assist vulnerable populations that have migrated to English-speaking countries.
Solo travel is a growing trend, a significant proportion made up of international students who take solo trips during their study abroad. However there is limited empirical research on the Asian ...proportion of this growing market. This study explores the main motivations and constraints of 10 female Vietnamese students’ solo travellers through in-depth interviews. The findings indicate that travel motivations can be categorised into personal factors, such as freedom and flexibility, self-empowerment, independence and exploration, and social interaction factors including a lack of companions and meeting new people. Travel constraints relate to being female and alone and being of Asian descent. This research extends understanding of this important market segment. As a result, tourism providers and destination marketing organisation (DMOs) can capitalise by developing their products and marketing.
We investigated the acculturation process of international students (N = 319, 162 female) from 62 countries who were residing in the Netherlands, using the acculturation framework by Arends-Tóth and ...Van de Vijver (2007). We applied SEM to test the model that acculturation conditions (perceived cultural distance PCD, personal growth initiative PGI, proficiency in English and the host language, and length of residence) in conjunction with acculturation orientations as mediators (host, heritage, expatriate) predict psychological adjustment as acculturation outcome (acculturative stress, satisfaction with life, mental health problems). We found direct and indirect effects of acculturation conditions on adjustment; high PGI, high English and Dutch proficiencies, and low PCD were associated with better adjustment. Host orientation (predicted by high PGI, Dutch proficiency, and low PCD) was positively associated with adjustment. Heritage orientation (predicted by low English proficiency) was negatively associated with adjustment. As a novel aspect, we included expatriate orientation - an orientation towards other expatriates in the host community. Expatriate orientation was predicted by low Dutch proficiency and was positively associated with adjustment. We also observed direct links between acculturation conditions and outcomes: positive associations between PCD and acculturative stress and between length of residence and acculturative stress; and negative associations between PGI and mental health problems and between English proficiency and acculturative stress. We provide evidence that including expatriate orientation is relevant among international students: It is stronger than both host and heritage orientations, thereby underlining the importance of studying acculturation in a contextualized way.
Studying in higher educational institutions can be particularly stressful, even more so if one is in a foreign country away from familiar people and environment. Stress related to acculturation could ...develop into psychological illnesses if left unaddressed. This study aimed at proposing a psychological intervention program founded on grit and psychological well-being to alleviate acculturative stress among international students in the Philippines. Nineteen foreign students were selected as participants for the first phase of the study that confirmed that grit and psychological well-being have a strong positive correlation (r=0.83). Results further showed, however, that grit and psychological well-being both have a strong negative correlation with acculturative stress at r=-0.90 and r=-0.80, respectively. Five participants from the original roster were randomly selected to join Phase 2 which involved a qualitative investigation of their experiences. The data were thematically analyzed and these results were utilized in the development of an intervention program for foreign students. Levels of the variables were tested post-intervention to measure its effectiveness.
This study examines the role of language encouragement and sports in boosting the physical and mental health of learners of Chinese as a second language. This paper utilized literature research, data ...analysis, and other approaches to investigate the factors brought about by athletics. The questionnaire results distributed to international students serve as the supporting argument. This research examines how physical exercise can improve students' physical and mental health based on the data analysis of a questionnaire survey. Kang's thesis offers some recommendations on how to assist students in enhancing their physical activity ability and intensity in middle schools, such as referring to the examination method; by adding the physical education examination to this module, guiding students will be a priority. There is an emphasis on sports. In addition, as the government and the school increase the direction of students and invest in sports facilities, students will have the time and space to participate in sports. Language encouragement and sports can effectively regulate international students' physical and mental health, boost the self-confidence of international college students, establish positive social ties, assist students in establishing a sense of mental health, and promote the healthy development of mental health.
Abstract
Background
Loneliness has been recognized as a public health issue and has moved into a number of European countries’ policy agendas. Literature examining loneliness in young people (and ...especially in adolescents) is scarce, but it does show that at this age feelings of loneliness have been increasing in recent decades and are detrimental for both adolescents’ current and future well-being. In order to explain loneliness, current literature focuses generally on individual, rather than on broader, environmental characteristics. This study examines school associates of loneliness and compares their importance to those at the individual level because schools are the most important places in which adolescents are socially embedded. In addition, policy interventions on loneliness might be more feasible at the school than the individual level.
Methods
This study uses a single-item measure of adolescents’ loneliness feelings in schools and exploits rich data from the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA 2018) on 23 European countries covering 118,698 students (50.2% female) in 4,819 schools. This study applies multi-level models to investigate school level factors jointly with those at the individual level.
Results
Differences between European schools can explain a 20% variation in feelings of loneliness, thereby indicating the importance of the school environment. Furthermore, adolescents’ bullying experiences and a bullying climate in school more than doubles incidences of loneliness. In addition, a cooperative climate as well as teacher support can considerably decrease school loneliness. Cross-level interactions do exist: being from a lower socioeconomic background for instance, while not important generally, increases loneliness feelings if most of the school peers are from a better socioeconomic background. School factors appear to be more important for explaining young people’s loneliness incidence than individual characteristics.
Conclusion
This is the first study to compare school level and individual level factors relating to youth loneliness in schools throughout Europe. Results emphasizing the importance of school environment for explaining adolescents’ loneliness suggest that school level initiatives may be most appropriate in tackling loneliness when compared to wider and less contextualized national policies that focus on adolescents outside of school.
It is widely accepted that many international students have very different experiences of using libraries in their home countries, and using an academic library in the UK for the first time can be ...daunting. Although international students at Coventry University are offered a library induction, along with home students, it doesn't cover the level of detail that some may need. In addition, due to problems with visas, many international students arrive late, missing induction altogether. For these reasons, it was felt that additional support was needed before students arrive in the UK, to help prepare them to get the most out of the library as soon as possible. At the start it wasn't clear what form the pre-induction support would take, other than it would be something offered online. People knew they wanted it to be multimedia, engaging, possibly interactive, and something students could easily dip in and out of. However, this was what librarians thought, rather than the students, so before we started we needed to do some research.
Tilt represents an ability pattern and is based on differences in two dimensions (e.g., math and reading), yielding strength in one dimension (math) and weakness in the other (reading). Whereas prior ...research examined tilt relations with economic productivity at the individual or country levels, the current study is the first to examine the stability, geography, and predictive power of math, verbal, and science tilts for economic growth at the country level. Tilt was based on math, science, and reading results in seven PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment) waves from 2000 to 2018 (Nmax = 86 countries). Tilt was computed by contrasting math or science scores with reading scores, yielding math tilt (math > reading) and science tilt (science > reading). Tilt patterns were stable across the seven PISA waves (mean stabilities math-reading r = .74 and science-reading r = .53). Tilt showed a geographic gradient, with math/science tilt in East Asia and verbal tilt in Europe and the Americas (r = .38 to .42, for tilt and geographic coordinates). Tilt did not mediate relations between country level ability and economic growth. However, math tilt (math > reading) directly and positively predicted higher economic growth (β = .25 to .45), whereas science tilt (science > reading) was negligibly related to economic growth (β = .08 to .18). The results were insensitive to the year of data collection and the parametric procedure used. Future research should consider factors that influence tilt such as differential investment of educational resources.
•Math/science tilt was based on PISA results from 2000 to 2018 in 86 countries.•Math/science tilt was computed by contrasting math and science results with reading results.•Math/science tilt patterns were stable over time, cohorts, testing waves, and methods.•East Asian countries showed math/science tilt; Western countries showed verbal tilt.•Math (not science) tilts predicted economic growth (β = .25 to .45 vs .08 to .18).
International student services centers (ISSC) at postsecondary institutions in the United States are central to supporting international students' transition and adjustment needs. As leaders of these ...units, ISSC directors are 'managerial professionals' (MPs), exhibiting characteristics of both traditional academic and administrative roles. These qualities mirror the requisite adaptiveness of their positions, required to navigate the complex international, national, and institutional factors affecting their students and departments. Using Job Crafting Theory, this qualitative study evaluates the experiences of eighteen ISSC directors to explore how, and to what extent, they adapt their jobs in ways related to the creation and integration of meaning. Findings illustrate how participants engaged in cognitive, relational, and task crafting where departmental and institutional goals, students' needs, and personal fulfillment overlapped. The final discussion addresses how institutional leaders, as key partners in successful job crafting, can utilize this framework to support ISSC staff, international students, and promote internationalization.
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