Academic stress and its management by Chinese students studying in Russia and China

Introduction. This study investigates differences in perceived academic stress, its predictors and coping strategies among Chinese students studying in Russia and China, which is an underexplored area of research. Materials and Methods. An online socio-psychological survey was conducted in 2022–2024 with 403 Chinese students: 202 studying in Russian universities and 201 in Chinese universities. The following methods were employed (administered in Chinese): Student Academic Stress Sensation Questionnaire (田澜, 邓琪 — Tian, Deng 2007), Stress Coping Strategies Questionnaire (肖计划, 许秀峰 — Xiao, Xu 1996), and Sixteen Personality Factor Questionnaire (祝蓓里, 戴忠恒 — Zhu, Dai 1988). The data were analyzed using SPSS 26.0: comparative, correlation, recession. Results. Chinese students studying in Russia exhibited significantly higher stress levels in areas such as concerns about the future, academic competition, learning environment and study conditions, as compared to their counterparts in China. Students in China demonstrated a greater reliance on coping strategies. Both groups equally identified psychological support as an effective strategy, with the ‘avoidance’ strategy being significantly more prevalent among students in China. Among those studying in Russia, a larger proportion exhibited a high level of personal factor 1, indicating their greater sensitivity. Academic stress coping predictors for students studying in China included high levels of trust, openness, tolerance and optimal tension, whereas for students in Russia the predictors included caution, prudence and restraint in displaying emotions. Conclusions. The study identifies the content of academic stress and methods for its management in Chinese students studying in Russia and China. The study also identifies academic stress predictors in these groups. These findings can inform targeted psychological support strategies for students experiencing academic stress.