Counseling International Students in Canadian Schools

International students face many demands as they navigate the cross-cultural transition of living and learning in host countries such as Canada. The cultural diversity represented in this student population poses unique challenges for multicultural counseling. The ways that international students have been represented in the literature may contribute to barriers for effective counseling services. The discussion begins with a summary of the issues faced by international students when living and learning in a foreign country. Several limitations in the counseling literature about international students are addressed, including, the limitations of culture shock as a model of cross cultural transition, the lack of methodological diversity in research involving international students, a focus on group characteristics, and the continued emphasis on the problems experienced by international students. Suggestions for counselors are given to enhance their multicultural counseling competencies for working with international students.     

Asian International Students’ Willingness to Seek Counseling: A Mixed-Methods Study

Using a mixed-methods survey design that was predominantly quantitative, this study explored Asian international students’ willingness to seek counseling. Participants were 177 Asian international students recruited from a U.S. Midwestern University. After controlling for attitudes toward psychological help-seeking and past counseling experience, academic stress was significantly and positively related to willingness to seek counseling for academic problems. Qualitative data were also collected using one open-ended question in the survey: “What comes into your mind when you think about ‘counseling’ or ‘mental health counseling’?” The qualitative analyses revealed positive perceptions of counseling as well as a personal reluctance to seek counseling.     

Factors influencing international student satisfaction in Korean universities

Despite South Korea emerging as one of the new players in the international education market over the last decade, our knowledge of the extent of international students’ satisfaction studying in South Korean universities is modest. To fill this research gap, our study used 873 valid survey responses from international students originating from 69 countries studying at 62 Korean universities. An exploratory factor analysis was first used to extract a set of important factors from a number of variables. Then an ordered-logistic regression was conducted to identify factors influencing international students’ overall satisfaction. A number of recommendations and areas of intervention have been identified ranging from learning experience to living and support services. Equally important, this study confirms the validity of the hypothesis that international students from the East Asian cultural sphere attain more satisfaction than other international students who are more culturally dissimilar from members of the host population. The findings of this study contribute to the overall effort of raising student satisfaction and thereby supporting the enrollment of additional students and managing attrition and retention problems through continuous improvement.     

Power dynamics with international students: from the perspective of domestic students in Korean higher education

This paper explored the power dynamics between domestic and international students in the context of higher education in an Asian non-English speaking country, Korea. Despite increased international student mobility in recent years, little is known about the relationship dynamics among students from different countries, especially related to power issues. The findings in this study suggested that international students’ countries of origin and language of communication created different power statuses compared to Korean students by their empowerment and discrimination. Power differentials also existed among Korean students due to variations in their English ability to interact with international students. Conversely, international students’ attitudes and acceptance influenced Korean students’ attitudes toward them, irrespective of power differentials created by countries and language, as perceived by Korean students. The implications related to the recent trend of international student mobility are discussed.     

Expectations of and Attitudes toward Counseling: A Comparison of Asian International and U.S. Graduate Students

This study examined Asian international graduate students’ expectations of and attitudes toward counseling by using U.S. graduate students as a comparative reference group. Survey data from 189 Asian international and 186 U.S. students were subject to analyses. Results indicated that Asian international students, in comparison with U.S. students, indicated less exposure to counseling, less self-perceived need for counseling, greater discomfort/shame with counseling, less openness to counseling, a greater preference for a directive style, and a greater preference for a flexible counseling format. Language and cultural concerns were barriers to seeking counseling. Implications for culturally responsive services were discussed.     

Racism,Equity, and Quality of Education for International Students in South Korean Higher Education Institutes

This study aims to understand equity issues of international students’ learning in Korean higher education institutions by engaging with the issue of racism and identifies how international students in Korea reshape their learning trajectory and how we could provide equitable and quality education for international students. Espousing a qualitative case study design, six students from different background were interviewed to examine features of perceived institutional racism based on their learning experience in Korea. Major findings showed that internationalization has not been fulfilled in terms of engaging with international students although Korean government and higher education institutions have developed relevant policy to attract international students. This study indicates that Korean universities need to reconstruct their social, cultural, and institutional systems to embrace equity, diversity and inclusiveness to empower international students’ capacity.     

后殖民主义视角下的韩国多元文化教育

20世纪80年代以来,激增的国际婚姻与移民使韩国社会进入了"多元文化时代",政府出台了诸多多元文化教育政策,试图解决由于文化背景不同的学生增多所带来的种种问题。本文从后殖民主义视角批判性地考察了"多元文化"教育政策背后隐藏的士大夫式种族主义理念,提出新的"全纳型多元文化教育"模式。     

English is for dummies: linguistic contradictions at an international college in South Korea

Under the slogan of internationalisation, Korean universities have opened international colleges as a way to better attract and accommodate foreign students. However, due to a lack of foreign student recruiting capability, the majority of the students who enrol at one such international college are not foreign, but Korean. Contradictions arise when the English-language medium enforced by the foreign faculty members of the college conflicts with the linguistic practices of the mostly Korean student body. This article uses an international college in South Korea as a case study for the examination of the role of English on student life at Asian universities pursuing internationalisation strategies via the recruitment of foreign faculty members. Paradoxically, by establishing an international college that aggressively enforces the English language medium, the Korean university has created an environment where students avoid using English at all.     

Conceptualizing Stress and Coping Strategies of Korean Social Work Students in the United States: A Concept Mapping Application

The number of Asian international students pursuing graduate degrees in social work in the U.S. has increased dramatically in recent years, especially among Koreans. Despite the growth and the need for culturally competent practices in higher education, no research has been devoted to the adjustment problems of this population. This study is the first of its kind in exploring stress and coping strategies of Korean international students in graduate social work education. Concept mapping revealed five major clusters of stressors: academic problems, financial difficulties, cultural barriers, psychological problems, and family concerns. Five major coping strategies emerged as well: psychological coping, physical coping, problem solving, social support, and entertainment. Social work schools and departments should demonstrate cultural competence with this population by providing support services to help these students cope successfully with their new environment.     

Group Counseling with International Students: Practical,Ethical, and Cultural Considerations

International students in higher education represent a diverse population with unique mental health needs. Foreign students commonly experience a host of adjustment issues, including acculturative stress, language difficulties, cultural misunderstandings, racial discrimination, and loss of social support. Despite their challenges, few international students seek individual counseling. The purpose of this article is to present counseling groups as a treatment modality for addressing international students' adjustment concerns. Special attention is directed to the practical, ethical, and cultural challenges of conducting group counseling with this population, in addition to presenting recommendations for future practice and research.     

International Students,Learning Environments and Perceptions: A case study using the Delphi technique

While there are a number of reports on problems faced by international students in Australia, there is little information on the perceptions of such students relative to those of the academic staff teaching them. Using the Delphi technique, whereby problems identified are narrowed by consensus, a study conducted at one Australian university highlighted some expected and some unexpected outcomes. Difficulty understanding colloquial language, cost of tuition and feelings of isolation ranked highest amongst the problems cited by international students. Academic staff were critical of their own speed of lecturing, as well as international students' poor writing and critical thinking skills.     

International Counseling Students in Turkey and Their Training Experiences

This study examines the perceptions and experiences of international counseling students (ICSs) in university training programs in Turkey. A majority of participants reported they had adjusted positively, but did experience problems related to language, food, and customs. Participants largely also thought that the training in Turkey met their expectations, although some stated they desired more counseling coursework and applied experiences. More than half of the ICSs surveyed thought that they would not return to their home countries because of job opportunity problems. The results are considered in relation to counselor training in Turkey and student adaptation in that context.     

“工学结合”过程中高职生的心理状况分析与调适

推行工学结合、半工半读是高职院校培养高技能应用型人才的必由之路,但是在推行过程中,学生因心理不适会产生诸多问题,如果不及时疏导,会对学生在企业的实习乃至今后的工作产生不良的影响。本文结合济源职业技术学院的实际情况,对“工学结合”过程中高职生心理不适问题进行了调查分析,并提出了一些经过实践检验的有效调控措施,对工学结合的有效开展起到了积极的推进作用。     

Clinical Supervision of International Supervisees: Suggestions for Multicultural Supervision

An increase of international students in various settings has been noted in a range of disciplines including counseling and other mental health professions. The author examined the literature on international counseling students related to their experiences in counseling training, particularly in supervision. From the counseling literature, five different themes were identified: (i) acculturation and cultural difference, (ii) language barriers, (iii) social isolation, (iv) cultural perceptions of the profession and transferability, and (v) multicultural discussions. In addition, a critical lens is provided to situate the literature through a holistic and ecological perspective.     

International Immersion in Belize: Fostering Counseling Students’ Cultural Self-Awareness

International cultural immersion provides an in vivo, authentic, cross-cultural experience that can enhance multicultural awareness, knowledge and skills. This article examines the impact of an international immersion on graduate counseling students’ cultural self-awareness using a qualitative approach. Five graduate counseling students participated in a 3-week study abroad in Belize where they interacted with persons from diverse cultural backgrounds and settings. Four major cultural self-awareness themes emerged from the analysis of participants’ journals, (a) discrimination and prejudice, (b) cultural pride and appreciation, (c) cultural sensitivity, and (d) self-awareness. The findings are presented along with implications for future research and the use of international immersion as a viable experiential teaching strategy to enhance counseling students’ cultural self-awareness.     

Professional identity development of international counseling doctoral students: A hybrid approach of deductive and inductive thematic analysis

We explored the professional identity development of nine international counseling doctoral students. Our findings broadly corroborated Dollarhide et al.’s general model but revealed further nuances that need to be carefully contextualized at the intersection of a constellation of identities and experiences that international students bring to the counseling profession.     

Predictors of Attitudes Toward Seeking Counseling Among International Students

This study investigated predictors of international students' attitudes toward seeking counseling. One hundred twenty‐one international students responded to mailed questionnaires. Results indicate that being female, having greater openness to emotions, and having had prior counseling experience were significant predictors of more open attitudes toward seeking counseling.     

Influencing College Students' Perceptions of Videocounseling

Technology has made inroads in the counseling field in the form of e-mail, chat, and videoconferencing. It is not clear, however, whether college students perceive technology to be an acceptable application to counseling. The purpose of this study was to assess students' attitudes and expectations for a particular type of technology application—videocounseling. The results indicated that after watching a simulated videocounseling session students placed greater value in videocounseling, felt less discomfort with videocounseling, and expected videocounseling to be an effective and satisfactory approach. The merits of using such a role induction procedure with college students who consider participating in videocounseling are discussed as well as the implications of this therapy approach for counseling training programs and university counseling centers.     

An Outreach Support Group for International Students

International students often face challenges in adjusting to their new environment without the use of local supports such as counseling. This article suggests how universities can form an outreach support group that encourages the participation of international students by minimizing the stigma associated with using mental health services and by addressing relevant practical and emotional issues that international students face.     

Counseling Students on the Move: The Effects of Culture of Origin and Permanence of Relocation Among International College Students

This study reports on the differential effects of cultural background and permanence of relocation on the expectations of counseling, the kinds of support sought when approaching a counselor, and the acculturation attitudes among 219 international students from English‐speaking countries and the former Soviet Union attending an Israeli university. Implications for counseling international students are discussed.