Examining the Role of Social Support in Promoting Psychological Well-Being and Reducing Stress Among International Students

Alshammari, Majid Khalaf; Othman, Mohamad Hashim; Mydin, Yasmin Othman; Mohammed, Badiea Abdulkarem

doi:10.21608/eajbsc.2023.290565

Examining the Role of Social Support in Promoting Psychological Well-Being and Reducing Stress Among International Students

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ School of Educational Studies, Universiti Sains Malaysia.

² College of Computer Science and Engineering, University of Ha’il, Saudi Arabia

10.21608/eajbsc.2023.290565

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to learn how social support can help international pupils feel less lonely and stressed out. The study relied on secondary sources to summarize and evaluate prior research. One study done at Buea's university began with the assumption that students' already-complicated lives are rife with academic stressors, many of which can also trigger a mental health crisis. It was argued that students' mental health and resilience could be greatly aided by having a strong social support system in place. We postulated that the mental health of academically stressed students might improve if they had access to social support systems like loving parents and siblings, a friendly social group, encouraging instructors, and adequate learning materials. In this study, 374 students who reported experiencing scholastic stress were randomly selected from a larger population using the purposive sampling method. Data was gathered with the help of questionnaires. The information was analyzed using Spearman's association. The findings indicated that college students' mental health was affected by their parents' and families' acceptance of them (r=0.160; P=0.000), their peers' acceptance of them (r=0.140; P=0.000), their teachers' involvement in their education (r=0.205; P=0.000), and their access to learning tools (r=0.417; P=0.000). It was discovered that students' social networks account for a large portion of the variance in their psychological well-being when they are academically anxious. It is important for parents and significant others to listen to their children's concerns and provide them with emotional support and counseling when necessary. Because it fosters a feeling of belonging and aids in promoting and decreasing stress, social support is crucial for students. There are many various kinds of social support, both material and immaterial. Emotional assistance is helpful in managing stress.

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