Translations of Common International Student Adjustment Concerns

Instructions for Use of Materials

University staff and faculty who find themselves interacting with international students who seem distressed may use the translated materials presented on this website to help clarify the nature of the students' concerns. We recommend the following steps:


  1. Do not begin with the assumption that the student has mental health or adjustment problems.  Cultural differences can have a profound effect on how mental health concerns are expressed. What seems on the surface like an adjustment problem may actually be at heart a cultural difference in what is considered "normal" behavior.

  2. If the student seems distressed, express your concern for him/her as a person.  Do not focus on his/her language abilities or difficulties.

  3. Let him/her know that you use a list of common international student concerns that may help you to better understand his/her situation and to make suggestions.

  4. Verify the student's native language.  If the language he or she speaks most freely is not among those translated on this website, you can still use the English list--just be aware that the student may not comprehend all of the English terms.

  5. Allow the student time to read over the entire list by him or herself.  Do not scrutinize the student as he or she reads the list the first time.

  6. Ask the student if he or she understood the terms on the list.  This is to double-check potential differences in dialect (i.e., Colombian Spanish versus Spanish as spoken in Spain) that may make the translations irrelevant for that student.

  7. Ask the student to point to items (if any) which are of concern to him or her.  If the student indicates that none of the items are of concern to him or her, you might double check this but do not push the student to acknowledge problems that are not there.

  8. Discuss campus resources available to help the student with his or her concerns.

  9. Encourage the student to make use of campus resources, but do not pressure him/her to do so UNLESS THE STUDENT IS INDICATING THOUGHTS OF HURTING HIMSELF/HERSELF OR SOMEONE ELSE.  Because suicidal/homicidal thoughts may indicate a critical situation, it is important to get the student to a mental health professional for a screening immediately.
Caution Against Inappropriate Use
The sole purpose of the materials on this website is to assist communication between college/university faculty/staff and international students who may be experiencing distress, and to facilitate referrals to appropriate campus resources.

These materials do not constitute a professional mental health assessment or a psychological evaluation/test, and should not be used for diagnostic purposes. They are not intended for, nor should they be used in, decision-making about students' grades, academic standing, or conduct.

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Pornthip Chalungsooth, Ed.D., Gregory R. Schneller, Ph.D.,
University of Arkansas Counseling and Psychological Services
http://health.uark.edu/CAPS

© 2004, University of Arkansas





Page Updated:  1 June 2004