International students received limited attention in COVID‐19 mental health research. This research aimed to quantify the prevalence of stress, anxiety, and depression symptoms and to identify key risk factors among international students residing in Japan during the pandemic. Data were collected through an online survey from August 15 to September 2, 2021, utilizing the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS‐21) alongside sociodemographic measures. Multiple logistic regression analyses were employed to identify factors associated with stress, anxiety, and depression level. Among the 258 international students, the prevalence of severe to extremely severe symptoms was 58.1% for stress; 74.4% for anxiety; and 47.3% for depression. Regression analyses identified younger age and male gender as significant risk factors for stress and anxiety, whereas regular moderate‐intensity exercise emerged as a protective factor against psychological distress. These findings identified the substantial mental health burden borne by international students during the pandemic and confirmed specific factors that should inform the development of targeted psychological support programs for this vulnerable population.
Hu et al. (2026) studied this question.