Social connectedness and isolation among East Asian international students
An integrative review of mental health implications
Dados Bibliográficos
| ID | 11636357 |
|---|---|
| Autores | Boram Lee (0000-0002-1291-7188, Woosong University, autor correspondente) |
| Ano | 2025 |
| Volume | 110 |
| Páginas | 102331-102331 |
| Data de publicação | 2025-11-22 |
| Peer Reviewed | Sim |
| Open Access | Sim |
| Tipo | ARTICLE |
| Periódico | International Journal of Intercultural Relations (JOURNAL) |
| Identificadores do periódico | ISSN: 0147-1767 • E-ISSN: 1873-7552 |
| Editora | Elsevier BV (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1016/j.ijintrel.2025.102331 |
| OpenAlex | W7106334333 |
| Idioma | EN |
| Referências citadas | 32 |
This integrative review examines how social connectedness and isolation influence the mental health of East Asian international students in culturally specific ways. While international student well-being has received growing attention, few studies have focused on the emotional, cultural, and institutional dimensions of relational experiences. Drawing on 15 empirical studies published between 2010 and 2025, this review follows Whittemore and Knafl’s integrative methodology and adheres to PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Thematic synthesis revealed four interrelated domains: (1) dimensions of social connectedness, (2) cultural norms and emotional inaccessibility, (3) family expectations and internalized restraint, and (4) coping strategies and resilience pathways. The findings indicate that East Asian students’ psychological well-being is shaped less by the number of social ties and more by their emotional quality, cultural congruence, and institutional accessibility. Many students maintained frequent but emotionally shallow connections due to stigma, interpersonal norms, and mistrust of formal support. This review focuses on undergraduate and graduate students attending universities and four-year colleges in the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia. Cultural norms discouraged emotional disclosure, while family pressures reinforced silence. Informal and culturally familiar strategies were widely used but not always sufficient to address deeper psychological distress. These patterns suggest a need for mental health services that emphasize emotional accessibility, cultural alignment, and institutional trust. This review offers a culturally grounded framework to inform support practices in increasingly internationalized academic contexts.
Asian americans · Coping (psychology) · East Asia · Empirical research · Global mental health · Isolation (microbiology · Mental health · Psychological resilience · Social connectedness · Social isolation · Thematic analysis · Cultural Competency in Health Care · International Student and Expatriate Challenges · Mental Health Treatment and Access · Migration, Health and Trauma
Measuring belongingness
The PRISMA 2020 statement
The integrative review
Loneliness and Social Isolation as Risk Factors for Mortality
International students’ acculturation
The taboo of mental health problems, stigma and fear of disclosure among Asian international students
The Association Between Social Connectedness and Psychological Well‐Being Among International Students
A Longitudinal Investigation of Discrimination and Mental Health in Chinese International Students
Chinese international student stress and coping
The Interplay between Social Media and Cultural Adjustment
Predictors of International College Students' Formal Help‐Seeking Grounded in Andersen's Behavioral Model
A quantitative study on Chinese international students’ support mechanisms to address alienation caused by Covid-19 stigma encounters in the United States
An analysis of friendship networks, social connectedness, homesickness, and satisfaction levels of international students
Beyond borders
Asian international students’ help-seeking intentions and behavior in American Postsecondary Institutions
Mental Health Service Seeking Among Korean International Students in the United States
Challenges and coping strategies of East Asian graduate students in the United States
The puzzle of loneliness
Chronic health conditions and adolescents’ social connectedness
Using thematic analysis in psychology
Attitudes Toward Seeking Professional Counseling Services Among Chinese International Students
The need to belong
| Velocidade de citação | historical |
|---|---|
| Altamente citado | Não |