Open Access“It’s My Fault”: Exploring Experiences and Mental Wellness Among Korean International Graduate Students
Author(s) -
Katie Koo,
Young Won Kim,
Joonyoung Lee,
Gudrun Nyunt
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
journal of international students
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.47
H-Index - 15
eISSN - 2166-3750
pISSN - 2162-3104
DOI - 10.32674/jis.v11i4.2801
Subject(s) - mental health , graduate students , feeling , psychology , interview , study abroad , medical education , acculturation , qualitative research , pedagogy , social psychology , medicine , psychotherapist , sociology , ethnic group , social science , anthropology
Mental health issues are on the rise on college campuses for all students, including international students. This qualitative study explores the mental wellness of Korean international graduate students, a sub-group that has received limited attention. By interviewing 18 Korean international graduate students in the United States, we found that limited English proficiency shapes various aspects of Korean international graduate students’ well-being; self-imposed pressures negatively influence mental wellness; self-blaming and an inability to express one’s feelings lead to further deterioration; and students turn to physical and religious/spiritual activities to improve their mental wellness. Implications for research and practice are discussed.