scholarly journals The Dynamics of Being Alone and Stressed: Pakistani Female Doctoral Students’ Experiences and Coping Strategies while Pursuing Higher Education in Malaysia

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 14-27
Author(s):  
Syed Faisal Hyder Shah ◽  
Abdul Razaque Channa ◽  
Musharaf Ali Talpur

This paper explores the complex nuances and experiences of international female doctoral students when they are in the ‘settling-in phase’ to their new (host) country of higher education. When coming to Malaysia as international students, they experience feelings of being outside of their country of origin. Being physically away from their loved ones, they constantly feel stress, loneliness and homesickness. To overcome these challenges, it is especially important for the international students to surmount their first few months in the host country's communities. To achieve these results, the study employs a qualitative methodology underpinned by symbolic interactionism to elicit the true significance of these Pakistani female doctoral students’ social interactions with the host country’s community. Based on our findings, we established that female doctoral students involve themselves in a variety of coping strategies keeping in view the new environment of a host country and their adjustment to it, such as binge-watching, social network sharing, faith-based activities, going to the gym, routine management and travel and outing

Author(s):  
Renaude Etienne Saint-Phard ◽  
Gustavo Gregorutti

Current research shows that international students confront multifaceted challenges in their host country. However, most of the studies conducted do not give a voice nor do they explore these students' coping strategies. This qualitative study aimed to explore the cultural, linguistic, curricular, and financial experiences of 10 international undergraduate students and their coping strategies at a Midwest university. The Bronfenbrenner's bio-ecological model of human development and the Australian resilience international student education (RISE) theories guided this study to facilitate an interpretative and naturalistic approach and understandings of the coping phenomenon. The findings implied that the overwhelming majority of the participants confronted various challenges and coped with them because of their resilience through their faith in God, motivation, determination, and community support. This study may help to increase student retention improving services to international students. It provides the bases to policies development to advance better insertion of international students.


Author(s):  
Olga Skvorcova ◽  
◽  
Anna Stavicka ◽  
Indra Odiņa ◽  
◽  
...  

Students’ well-being and life satisfaction have been the crucial trends in research and practice over the last decades. Often students, who come to study to another country encounter several challenges in the process of integration in the new host country environment. The article deals with the part of the broader research which aimed at fostering international students’ integration in the environment of the host country – Latvia. The aim of this article is to explore international students’ satisfaction as well as the problems they have encountered in Latvian higher education institutions and thus find out the level of their subjective well-being according to Ryff’s (1989) stated indicators: autonomy, environmental mastery, personal growth, positive relations with others, purpose in life, and self-acceptance. The data reveal the average score 5.6 out of highest score 7 and the highest scores are for self-acceptance and positive relations with others. The research also coincided with the beginning of the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic, thus influencing the number of respondents and representation of the countries in the research sample. The research was conducted in the framework of the project “Multilingual and Multicultural University: Preparation Platform for Prospective International Students” (No. 1.1.1.2/ VIAA/1/16/019) co-funded by ERDF.


BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. e048738
Author(s):  
Phuong Hong Nguyen ◽  
Shivani Kachwaha ◽  
Anjali Pant ◽  
Lan M Tran ◽  
Sebanti Ghosh ◽  
...  

ObjectivesThe COVID-19 pandemic has profound negative impacts on people’s lives, but little is known on its effect on household food insecurity (HFI) in poor setting resources. This study assessed changes in HFI during the pandemic and examined the interlinkages between HFI with child feeding practices and coping strategies.DesignA longitudinal survey in December 2019 (in-person) and August 2020 (by phone).SettingCommunity-based individuals from 26 blocks in 2 districts in Uttar Pradesh, India.ParticipantsMothers with children <2 years (n=569).Main outcomes and analysesWe measured HFI by using the HFI Access Scale and examined the changes in HFI during the pandemic using the Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed-rank tests. We then assessed child feeding practices and coping strategies by HFI status using multivariable regression models.ResultsHFI increased sharply from 21% in December 2019 to 80% in August 2020, with 62% households changing the status from food secure to insecure over this period. Children in newly or consistently food-insecure households were less likely to consume a diverse diet (adjusted OR, AOR 0.57, 95% CI 0.34 to 0.95 and AOR 0.51, 95% CI 0.23 to 1.12, respectively) compared with those in food-secure households. Households with consistent food insecurity were more likely to engage in coping strategies such as reducing other essential non-food expenditures (AOR 2.2, 95% CI 1.09 to 4.24), borrowing money to buy food (AOR 4.3, 95% CI 2.31 to 7.95) or selling jewellery (AOR 5.0, 95% CI 1.74 to 14.27) to obtain foods. Similar findings were observed for newly food-insecure households.ConclusionsThe COVID-19 pandemic and its lockdown measures posed a significant risk to HFI which in turn had implications for child feeding practices and coping strategies. Our findings highlight the need for further investment in targeted social protection strategies and safety nets as part of multisectoral solutions to improve HFI during and after COVID-19.


2019 ◽  
Vol IV (II) ◽  
pp. 83-88
Author(s):  
Rubina Kamran ◽  
Asma Zahoor

Going to the advanced countries for higher education has been in vogue for long. There is a considerable rise in the number of international students in USA universities. This paper explores how Shamsie portrays interaction among international students. It is delimited to the analysis of Shamsies two novels: Salt and Saffron, and Kartoghraphy applying textual analysis as a research method. The insight gained through this research about friendship among international students is in keeping with the findings of the psychological research about three predictable patterns of friendship: friendship with the students of ones own country, friendship with other foreign students and friendship with students of the host country. In Kartoghraphy all three patterns of friendship are found while in Salt and Saffron only a strong bond of friendship between a Pakistani international student and her American counterpart is portrayed. Shamsie presents easy assimilation of Pakistani diaspora students.


Author(s):  
Meagan Call-Cummings ◽  
Melissa Hauber-Özer ◽  
Jennifer Rainey

Participatory action research (PAR) is a community-based form of inquiry conducted with individuals affected by an issue or problem being studied rather than about them. Rather than a method of inquiry, PAR is an epistemological stance towards knowledge and knowledge creation that is rooted in critical, emancipatory pedagogy. Because it is an orientation, rather than a discrete method, PAR is difficult to teach. Here the authors explore the experiences of both undergraduate pre-service teachers and doctoral students as they seek to reconcile PAR principles and practice with their personal and professional backgrounds. The purpose is not to present the best approach for teaching PAR in the university classroom; rather, it is a reflective exploration of the experiences of the authors' participants, which reveals rich insights into what it feels like to become researchers within the ‘culture' of formal higher education in the United States.


2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tess Brooke ◽  
Makaela Brown ◽  
Robin Orr ◽  
Suzanne Gough

Abstract Background and purpose The impact of stress and burnout in students is an emerging topic. When students perceive that they are unable to cope with stressors, there is increased potential for burnout. To maximise students’ higher educational institution outcomes, students must be able to effectively cope with stressful demands. Research suggests physiotherapy students, in particular, suffer from a high risk of stress and burnout, however limited research exists on postgraduate, pre-registration, physiotherapy students. The purpose of this study was to determine perceived stress, burnout and associated coping strategies across three timepoints in the first year of a postgraduate, pre-registration physiotherapy program. Methods A qualitative and quantitative survey design was utilised at one Australian Higher Education Institution. The 51-item self-administered questionnaire consisted of demographics, the Coping Self Efficacy (CSE) Scale and Maslach Burnout Inventory – General Survey for Students (MBI-GS (S)), and open-ended questions. The questionnaire was administered at three timepoints (T) in the program: T1 at the start of semester 1, T2 before the first placement in semester 2 and T3 after 10-weeks of placement. Data were analysed using descriptive, statistical and thematical analysis. Subjects All first year Doctor of Physiotherapy students. Results A response rate of 62% (n = 38) was achieved. There were no differences in stress and burnout scores between sexes, nor differences in stress and burnout over time. Highest median CSE scores were seen at T1, with highest median MBI-GS (S) cynicism scores at T2, exhaustion (EX) at T1 and T2, and professional efficacy at T1 and T2. The greatest mean CSE changes were seen from T1-T2 and T1–3, and PE greatest changes from T2-T3 and T1-T3. No strong correlation was found between stress and burnout. Curriculum coursework was a frequently reported stressor, along with clinical placement and transition periods. Coping strategies utilized by students were both positive and maladaptive. Positive strategies included sporting activities, baking, listening to music, and social connections, whereas maladaptive strategies included alcohol consumption, excessive eating, and gaming. Conclusion Student consistently identified periods of stress and burnout, with curriculum coursework in particular being a trigger. Findings acknowledge the need for further investigation on sources of perceived stress, burnout, and coping mechanisms to optimise student welfare and enhance Higher Education Institution outcomes.


2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tom Farrelly ◽  
Tony Murphy

This article reports on a survey (n=573) of international students who were attending one of a group of five higher education institutes (HEIs) in the south of Ireland. This study sought to identify what knowledge these students had about their host country before coming to Ireland. In this study, we also attempted to identify what aspects of living and learning in Ireland these students wished they had known about before they left their home countries. Finally, we discuss the types of academic, socio-cultural and practical resources that both welcoming colleges and international students should consider prioritising before departure, so as to truly help the transition from a home to host country.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document