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Changes in Psychological Well-Being Among International Students in the US:The Role of Interactions With Peers, Faculty, and Staff Shinji Katsumoto (bio) and Nicholas A. Bowman (bio) The number of international students in US higher education has grown significantly in the past decade; in 2018–19, more than 1 million foreign students were studying in the US (Institute of International Education, 2019). Many incoming college students, both domestic and international, experience psychological difficulties that may result from transitions such as leaving their hometowns, living in new environments, and encountering strangers (Mayhew et al., 2016; Pedersen et al., 2016). Moreover, international students face additional challenges such as cultural differences and language barriers (Cho Ryff Ryff hence, its importance is relevant not only to college, but also to postcollege experiences and flourishing (Bowman, 2010a; Kilgo et al., 2016). Some research has explored college students' PWB (e.g., Bowman, 2010a; Kilgo et al., 2016, 2019; Padgett et al., 2012; Park Luo et al., 2019). A frequent challenge for international students is the cultural gap between their own country and the host country (Pedersen et al., 2016). For example, appropriate social behaviors vary considerably across countries and cultures, which means that constructing a positive connection with people in a host country can be problematic for some international students. International physical distance from family may further induce loneliness (Cho & Yu, 2015), and challenges with English proficiency can affect international students' mental health (Luo et al., 2019). Furthermore, international students who are racial minorities may encounter various forms of discrimination due to their perceived race and nationality (e.g., Yao et al., 2019). These issues are directly related to specific PWB domains, such as positive relations with others and environmental mastery. Unfortunately, the previous research on this topic has had two important limitations that affect the interpretation and implications of findings. First, the definition of "social supports" for international students has been quite broad, such as support from any citizen in a host country (Sullivan & Kashubeck-West, 2015) or an international center (Ra, 2016). Among general samples of US college students, interpersonal interactions with faculty, staff, and peers, and cocurricular activities were positively associated with mental...
Katsumoto et al. (Fri,) studied this question.