Parent-child communication and psychological wellbeing: Exploring the experiences of first-year Chinese international students at a UK university

First-year Chinese international students (CIS) face significant mental health challenges due to acculturative stress, language barriers, and academic pressures. Despite rapid growth in the UK, research on parent-child communication and its impact on their mental health is limited and mostly quantitative, thus necessitating qualitative inquiry to capture nuanced experiences and cultural influences during university transition. Using semi-structured interviews with 10 first-year Chinese students at a leading UK university, reflexive thematic analysis identified three themes: Unfavourable Conversations, Supportive Interactions, and Communication Cadence. Findings underscore the benefits of emotional/ practical support and appropriate communication schedules while highlighting the harm of maladaptive parental practices, providing insights for future research and initiatives to enhance student well-being.