Anxiety and depression among Chinese international student-athletes during study abroad: a psychological network approach

Background and Study Aim. Depression and anxiety are prevalent mental health challenges among college students. International student-athletes abroad face distinct mental health challenges compared to general students due to their dual roles as athletes and international students. The purpose of this study was to analyze the network structure and characteristics of anxiety and depression in Chinese international student-athletes during study abroad from a network perspective. Material and Methods. A network analysis approach was used in this study. A total of 219 Chinese student-athletes studying in Malaysia were recruited for this research, and their demographic characteristics were collected. The Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) and the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) were used to assess symptoms of anxiety and depression. Results. The results revealed that the strongest relationship in the network was between psychomotor issues (PHQ8) and self-harming tendencies (PHQ9). Nervousness (GAD1) demonstrated the highest node strength, followed by sleep issues (PHQ3) and guilty feelings (PHQ6). Psychomotor issues (PHQ8) exhibited the highest node expected influence value. Nervousness (GAD1) was identified as the most important bridging symptom. The network demonstrated good accuracy in stability tests. Three symptom communities were identified in the community detection results. Conclusions. This study highlights the importance of addressing mental health concerns among overseas student-athletes. The findings could inform the future design of intervention strategies targeting core symptoms, thereby reducing levels of anxiety and depression among international student-athletes during their studies abroad. Additionally, the network analysis perspective offers new research avenues for studying the unique characteristics of sports groups in the future.