COVID-19-related Traumatic Effects and Psychological Reactions among International Students

The rapidly spreading, ongoing, and worldwide Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has become a global public health emergency since it broke out in December 2019 Previous research has revealed that the COVID-19 pandemic has caused many overwhelming stressors, such as loss of employment; death of family members, friends, or colleagues; financial insecurity; and isolation from others It is well known that stressful events such as COVID-19 and other traumas may have a significant impact on mental health and may result in conditions such as Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and other psychological symptoms Mamun et al. 8 reported that these psychiatric sufferings also account for about 90% of the global suicide occurrences in extreme cases. As compared to the general population 6,7, Wang et al. 's study of 1738 respondents from 190 Chinese cities found that respondents aged 12-21.4 years and were students demonstrated a higher psychological impact from COVID-19 than those who were employed, which may be due to prolonged school closure, requiring online education support, and uncertainty about examinations and matriculation arrangements. Further, students were also likely to experience fear of becoming ill or dying themselves, feelings of helplessness, and stigma Compared to local students, international students are facing more impediments in maintaining their mental health under the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. For example, the pandemic may have put them in a more isolated position abroad, with less access to public resources due to monetary, informational, language, or cultural barriers. Besides, some campuses were closed without considering that many international students do not have a residence outside those campuses, nor do they have access to a safe return to their home countries due to closed borders, reduced numbers of international flights, and potential exposure to COVID-19 during travel Based on these considerations, our study evaluates and identifies traumatic factors related to COVID-19 that contribute to psychological stress. These factors should become central concerns for government agencies and healthcare professionals to help international students get through this period of difficulty.