The Effects and Differences of Social Support, Depression, and Vital Exhaustion during the COVID-19 Pandemic among International and Domestic University Students

Viktor Rekenyi, Szabolcs Garbóczy, Anita Szemán-Nagy, Ala’a B. Al-Tammemi, Mohamed Sayed-Ahmad and László Robert Kolozsvári ()
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Viktor Rekenyi: Doctoral School of Health Sciences, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary
Szabolcs Garbóczy: Doctoral School of Health Sciences, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary
Anita Szemán-Nagy: Department of Personality and Clinical Psychology, Institute of Psychology, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary
Ala’a B. Al-Tammemi: Doctoral School of Health Sciences, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary
Mohamed Sayed-Ahmad: Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary
László Robert Kolozsvári: Doctoral School of Health Sciences, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 2, 1-14

Abstract: Background: Our study aimed to assess the differences between domestic and international students in terms of social support, vital exhaustion, and depression during the period of COVID-19 and to examine the relationships and potential effects of these factors on each other. Methods: The online cross-sectional survey was conducted via Google Forms ® at three time intervals during the pandemic. Results: Here, 1320, 246, and 139 students completed our questionnaires in the different time intervals. The international students reported significantly lower values in terms of perceived social support. Concerning depression, the international female students reported higher values than the domestic female students. Significant correlations were found in both samples between vital exhaustion and depression, as well as between perceived social support and depression. Conclusion: In this study, the international students reported lower levels of perceived social support and higher levels of depression, particularly among females. The correlations between depression, social support, and vital exhaustion might highlight protective and risk factors. These findings emphasize the importance of addressing social support and mental health among university students, especially among international students who have a difficult time finding social support during times of stress, such as during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Keywords: international students; domestic students; social support; depression; vital exhaustion (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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