The psychological wellbeing of Indian international students in the UK

  • Soha Daru

Student thesis: Doctor of Counselling Psychology

Abstract

Background: Migration is associated with stress and mental health concerns among various migrant populations worldwide, including international university students and Asian Indian people. There is a scarcity of research on Asian Indian international students in particular, although they comprise the third largest international student population in the UK. This research aims at addressing the gap in literature by exploring the experiences of Asian Indian international students in British Higher Education settings, as well as understanding the coping strategies they use to manage psychological wellbeing and their attitudes towards professional help-seeking. Method: A qualitative design was employed to understand the subjective experience of Indian international students. Semi-structured interviews were conducted and the data was analysed using thematic analysis. Ethical guidelines were followed and a reflexive approach was included to establish trustworthiness and transparency. Findings & Discussion: A few themes highlighted were the need for social connection, the difficult transition to a new academic system, issues concerning finances, cultural differences, potential minimizing of distress and discriminatory experiences, a positive outlook towards seeking professional help, as well as a stigma attached to it. The findings were examined through Bronfenbrenner’s (1979) ecological perspective of human development. Although some data confirmed previous research conducted, positive experiences and healthy coping strategies used by participants were also identified. Conclusions: Recommendations for further research could involve focusing on various sub-categories of Indian international students and the potential link between help-seeking attitudes with those who actually seek support. The implications for this study can be useful for psychological therapists, educational institutions and organizations involved with Indian international students.
Date of Award31 Dec 2021
Original languageEnglish
Awarding Institution
  • The University of Manchester
SupervisorJo Shuttleworth (Supervisor) & Terry Hanley (Supervisor)

Keywords

  • asian
  • England
  • United Kingdom
  • counselling
  • indian
  • psychology
  • wellbeing
  • mental health

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