Does going to university in a different country affect your mental health? A Japanese international university surveyed its students in 2018 and published a study the following year that was approved by several ethical and regulatory boards.
The study found that international students have a higher risk of mental health difficulties than the general population, and that social connectedness (belonging to a social group) and acculturative stress (stress associated with joining a new culture) are predictive of depression.
Explore the students data using PostgreSQL to find out if you would come to a similar conclusion for international students and see if the length of stay is a contributing factor.
Here is a data description of the columns you may find helpful.
| Field Name | Description |
|---|---|
inter_dom | Types of students (international or domestic) |
japanese_cate | Japanese language proficiency |
english_cate | English language proficiency |
academic | Current academic level (undergraduate or graduate) |
age | Current age of student |
stay | Current length of stay in years |
todep | Total score of depression (PHQ-9 test) |
tosc | Total score of social connectedness (SCS test) |
toas | Total score of acculturative stress (ASISS test) |
SELECT *
FROM students;SELECT stay,
COUNT(*) AS count_int,
ROUND(AVG(todep), 2) AS average_phq,
ROUND(AVG(tosc), 2) AS average_scs,
ROUND(AVG(toas), 2) AS average_as
FROM students
WHERE inter_dom = 'Inter'
GROUP BY stay
ORDER BY stay DESC;Insights:
- Depression (PHQ-9 Test)
- Students with a 10-year stay have the highest depression score (13), though this is based on a single individual.
- Students with an 8-year stay also show a high depression score (10), based on a small sample size.
- Students in their first 1-4 years exhibit moderate depression scores, ranging from 7.48 to 9.09.
- An unusual case is noted with students who have a 5-year stay, showing a depression score of 0.
- Social Connectedness (SCS Test)
- The highest social connectedness score (48) is found in students with a 7-year stay.
- The lowest score (32) is observed in those staying for 10 years.
- Social connectedness scores for other durations fall between 33.93 and 44.
- Acculturative Stress (ASISS Test)
- Students with a 5-year stay exhibit the highest acculturative stress score (91).
- The lowest stress score (45) is seen in students staying for 7 years.
- Stress levels for other durations range from 50 to 87.71.
Recommendations:
- Support for New Students
- Initial Years (1-4 years): Implement comprehensive support programs for new international students. These should include mental health services, social activities, and peer mentoring to address moderate depression levels and facilitate smoother integration.
- Investigate Anomalies
- 5-Year Stay: Examine the data anomalies, particularly the low depression score and high acculturative stress in students with a 5-year stay. Verify data accuracy and identify any unique issues affecting this group.
- Sustained Engagement for Long-Term Students
- Extended Stay (7-10 years): Focus on maintaining low acculturative stress and improving social connectedness for students with longer stays. Programs could include advanced community engagement opportunities, ongoing mentorship, and consistent mental health support.
- Regular Monitoring and Tailored Interventions
- Continuous Assessment: Regularly monitor the mental health and social connectedness of international students. Provide tailored interventions based on their duration of stay and specific needs to ensure they receive adequate support throughout their academic journey.