Several years ago, a Chinese woman student friend of my daughter committed suicide while studying here in the United States. I only know for certain that she was depressed. However, in light of recent revelations about China spying not only on countries and corporations but on its own international students (BBC News, Kelly, Dec 2024), it makes me wonder whether this Big Brother activity contributed to her mental illness? (“After FBI Busts Chinese ‘police Station’ in NYC, Six More Exposed in US,” Vincent, New York Post, 4/19/23.)

All students in transitioning to college face loss of structure, separation from their parents, and increased exposure to drugs and alcohol. Suicide is the third leading cause of deaths in young adults 18 to 24 years of age. However, Asian students are more likely than white students to have suicidal thoughts and to attempt suicide to the extent that the mental health struggles of Chinese international students is a major concern of college counselors.

A cross-sectional study 130 Chinese international undergraduate and graduate students at Yale university found that 45% exhibited symptoms of depression and 29% were anxious. In contrast, about 14% of general college students in America report symptoms of depression. The same researchers found less than 12% depression for students at a Chinese university. This suggests Chinese international students face a greater burden of psychological distress than their counterparts in China. (Han, X, et al. Report of a mental health survey among Chinese International students at Yale University; J Am Coll Health, 2013: 61:1-8.)

Why are Chinese students in America more depressed? There are many speculative reasons. They are more likely to be singleton children as part of China’s One-Child policy. Only children may be more likely to be egocentric and unable to manage impulses. Many Chinese families view money as the single answer to many of life’s problems (Exploring the Antecedents of Money Attitudes in China: Evidence From University Students, Front Psychol, June 1:13, 2022) and parents place immense pressure on their children to succeed academically as a way to achieve wealth. Parents are willing to spend heavily to send their children overseas to obtain education at top universities. Traditional Confucian social structures may increase the pressure for students to excel academically justifying their parents’ sacrifice.