Cross-sectional study investigating the mental health and wellbeing of university students in Australia

Abstract

The mental health status of university students is a global concern. This study investigated the mental health and wellbeing of university students in Australia, with a focus on identifying potential differences between domestic and international tertiary students. It was hypothesized that international students would experience greater mental health challenges compared to domestic students. Building on previous research predominantly centered on domestic students, a diverse sample of 838 university students (M_age = 23.0, SD = 5.4; 69 % female) was recruited. The results indicated a significant prevalence (44.1 % and 93.3 %, respectively) of moderate to severe levels of psychological distress and moderate to high levels of loneliness among the sampled population. It was found that mental health outcomes were comparatively more favorable for Chinese international students than both domestic students and international students from other countries. These findings underscore the need for targeted interventions to address the specific mental health challenges that different student populations face.