9. Research on the mental health support mechanism for international students in universities under the "belt and road" education exchange program

Abstract Background With the continuous advancement of the "Belt and Road" Education Exchange Program (BREEP), the scale of international students in universities has been expanding, and issues such as cross-cultural adaptation pressure, academic burden, and lack of social support have become increasingly prominent. Mental Health Problems (MHP) are more likely to occur in cultural migration environments, manifesting as anxiety, depression, loneliness, and academic burnout. However, the existing university support systems still show significant inadequacies in responding to cross-cultural contexts. Current research on the operational mechanisms, influencing factors, and optimization strategies of mental health support for international students under the BREEP framework remains limited. Methods To construct a BREEP mental health support mechanism model for international students and evaluate its effectiveness and impact path, providing theoretical basis for cross-cultural education management. The study adopts a mixed research design of questionnaire survey, structured interview, and structural equation modeling analysis. A total of 512 international college students from 23 countries along the "the Belt and Road" were recruited to participate in the survey. The main measurement tools include the Cross Cultural Adaptation Stress Scale (CCASS), Mental Health Risk Index (MHRI), Perceived Social Support Scale (PSSS), and University Support Effectiveness Questionnaire (USEQ). In addition, interviews were conducted with 32 international students to supplement qualitative information on the operation of the mechanism. The data is analyzed using multiple regression and structural equation modeling to determine the pathway of support mechanisms. Results The study revealed that under the BREEP framework, 54% of international students reported experiencing high levels of cross-cultural adaptation stress, with their median MHRI scores approximately 31% higher than local students (p=.003). Perceived social support demonstrated significant buffering effects on mental health risks (standardized path coefficient = -0.47, p=.01). University support system efficacy significantly predicted reduced mental health risks, with a total effect size of 0.42 (p=.004). Structural equation modeling identified three key factors for reducing mental health risks: university counseling services, peer support networks, and cross-cultural communication training, where peer support networks accounted for 38% of the total effect (p=.02). Additionally, universities with sustained support mechanisms had students with 22% lower MHRI scores compared to those without sustained support (p=.01), demonstrating a clear environmental facilitation effect. Discussion The research findings indicate that the mental health risks of international students in higher education under the Belt and Road education exchange program are influenced by cross-cultural stress, levels of social support, and the support capacity of universities. The university support system plays a crucial role in alleviating adaptation stress and promoting mental health, particularly the peer support network and systematic cross-cultural counseling services, which have shown significant effectiveness. The study emphasizes the need to establish a multi-dimensional, open, and continuous mental health support mechanism at the university level to enhance the adaptation resilience, social integration capabilities, and psychological stability of BREEP students. The findings provide important references for mental health governance in the context of Belt and Road education cooperation and university internationalization. Future longitudinal tracking studies under a multinational collaborative framework could further validate the cross-cultural applicability and long-term intervention benefits of university mental health support mechanisms in Belt and Road education exchange contexts.