“I don’t belong to either side. I lost my identity”: A Thematic Analysis Study on Chinese International Students’ Interpersonal Experiences During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Background and Purpose: The COVID-19 pandemic has had tremendous impacts on everyone’s life globally. However, Chinese international students (CIS) are not only susceptible to challenges brought about by COVID-19 but also endure stigma and discrimination for being “virus carriers” due to their Chinese nationality. As international students, they face additional challenges because of travel restrictions and visa issues, which exacerbate their social isolation and precipitate psychological distress. This study aims to inform practice to promote anti-discriminatory and culturally competent interventions that support this population’s mental health. Research Questions: What are CIS’s interpersonal experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic? Does CIS face stigma and discrimination related to COVID-19 in their interpersonal encounters with the non-Chinese population? How do they cope with mental health challenges during the pandemic? In what ways do family and ethnic/national identity shape CIS’s experiences? Methods: Ten in-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with CIS (aged 20 to 28) who resided in the United States for at least 10 months during the COVID-19 pandemic (March 2020 to May 2022). Purposive sampling was employed, recruiting participants through social media advertisements, including a Chinese students’ association WeChat group in a university and Facebook. Interviews were conducted in Mandarin Chinese via Zoom. Reflective thematic analysis, following Braun and Clarke's (2012, 2013, 2014, 2020) framework, was employed using NVivo for coding and analysis. Findings: The findings suggest that CIS employed mostly active coping strategies to address the challenges they faced during the pandemic. They struggled to deal with discrimination because of their ethnic and national identity, with some participants coping with direct confronting and providing information to counter stereotypes, whereas others resorting to secrecy and withdrawal. The findings also shed light on the emergence of Chinese nationalism among some participants, spurred by perceived discrimination by the non-Chinese population in the host country and satisfaction with their home country’s government's handling of the pandemic. Conversely, others expressed a loss of national identity, stemming from marginalization experienced both in their home country (othered Chinese-ness) and the host country. Conclusions and Implications: This study highlights the complex challenges faced by CIS during the pandemic, including the experiences of stigma, discrimination, mental health struggles, and issues related to national and ethnic identity. Most participants employed active coping strategies, such as self-care and seeking support from others. Among different types of support, peer support emerged as particularly crucial, while family support was more nuanced—sometimes highly beneficial but at other times counterproductive due to high expectations and cultural values that discourage giving up. Despite their active coping efforts, the combination of social isolation, experiences of discrimination and stigma, and confusion surrounding their identity significantly impacted their overall well-being and triggered mental health crises. These findings underscore the importance of creating inclusive, anti-racist campus environments to address discrimination and racism within academic settings. The findings also suggest that the Yin and Yang philosophy, with its emphasis on dialectical thinking and a process-oriented worldview, can serve as an effective coping mechanism for managing crisis and pandemic-related stress.
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