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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Psychiatry
Sec. Public Mental Health
Volume 16 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1464625
Coping with Marginalization: Causes, Identity Development and Mental Health Challenges among Marginalized Chinese International Students in Online Communities
Provisionally accepted- 1 China University of Political Science and Law, Changping District, China
- 2 Independent researcher, Suzhou 215004, China, Suzhou, China
This qualitative study explores how Chinese international students adopt marginalization as a coping strategy during acculturation. Grounded in Self-Determination Theory, the research investigates factors that contribute to marginalization, pathways of identity formation, and resulting mental health outcomes via online communities. Semi-structured interviews—conducted through social media voice chat—with 12 Chinese international students reveal three distinct identity clusters: Gamers, Bachelors, and Dissidents. Gamers use online gaming to regain competence and social validation, yet they report behaviors that resemble symptoms associated with problematic gaming. Bachelors experience romantic rejection, low self-esteem, and social withdrawal, often turning to online pornography as a substitute for intimacy. Dissidents who adopt a “double dissident” political identity report severe political depression, social alienation, and suicidal ideations stemming from censorship and fear of repercussions. These findings underscore the need for culturally sensitive mental health support and inclusive online platforms that empower marginalized immigrant populations.
Keywords: Chinese international students, Marginalization, Acculturative stress, online communities, Mental Health, coping strategies
Received: 14 Aug 2024; Accepted: 25 Feb 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Jin and Wang. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence:
Ruining Jin, China University of Political Science and Law, Changping District, China
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