Effects of Depression on Academic Performance among International Students Due to Family Problems - Research Paper Example

Effects of depression on academic performance among international PBIT students due to family problems Name Course Name Instructor’s Name Date Table of Contents Table of Contents 1 1.0 Introduction 2 2.0 Literature review 3 2.1 Introduction 3 2.2 Depression and its impact 3 2.3 Depression and family problems 3 2.4 Depression and substance abuse among students 5 2.5 Depression and family violence 5 2.6 Effects of depression among international PBIT students 6 2.7 Treatment of depression among international PBIT students 6 3.0 Research questions and variables 8 3.1 Sub questions and variables 8 3.2 Significance of the research question 8 4.0 Definition of concepts 9 5.0 Ethical statement 10 6.0 Research Design 10 7.0 Sampling Technique 11 8.0 Questionnaire design 11 9.0 Pilot Study 12 10.0 Results 14 11. 0 Section 1- Demographics 14 Section 2- results from the survey 15 12.0 Conclusion 16 13.0 References 16 Appendix 19 Table of Figures Figure 1: Gender Representation 14 Figure 2: Factors influencing depression on international PBIT students both female and male 15 Figure 3: factors influencing depression 15 Figure 4: Employment of international PBIT students both male and female 15 1.0 Introduction Depression is one of the leading global causes of health mental problem (Kunisato et al., 2012). Depression affects many individuals such as adolescents, male, female as well as students. There are several symptoms associated with depression for instance, anxious, sad, sleeping problems, memory loss and loss of appetite among others (Coelho et al., 2000). Depression affects students with family problems which affect their studies. Likewise, students who study abroad in colleges and universities are affected by depression due to loneliness, language problems, culture shock, financial problems and adaption of new environment. 2.0 Literature review 2.1 Introduction Depression is common condition that occurs among PBIT international students. These students engage in different activities such as smoking, drinking alcohol and premarital sex among other activities (Connelly, 2008). Family problems are one of the leading causes of depression among PBIT international students. Depression ahs serious consequences among the students such as suicide, anxiety disorders as well as substance abuse (Howland et al., 2010). 2.2 Depression and its impact Depression is a disorder which affects physical reaction and psychology towards people as well as affecting them negatively. Depression affects someone and makes them lose interest in taking responsibility (Carroll et al., 2009). According to research conducted by National Institute of mental Health, Depression is one of the leading causes of poor performance in colleges among international PBIT students (Frojd et al., 2008). Likewise, female students are affected more than male students and especially those in first and second year. 2.3 Depression and family problems i. culture International students suffer from depression as they try to adjust to social and education environments. Different culture values affect international students which affect their students as well as career development (Wei-Chin and Julia, 2008). Culture starts with family background which individuals must learn to survive. Each society has different culture in terms of language, tradition, belief as well as perception (Angie, Deborah, Cris and Megan, 2010). International Students who experience different culture suffer from culture shock which causes anxiety, diverse experience which leads to depression. ii. language Language is essential in closeness and interaction with other people around you. It assists people to express themselves as well as identifying one self. Lack of language proficiency can lead to misunderstanding among people (Coelho et al., 2000). International PBIT students are faced with language related problems. These problems needs to be addressed during admission of international students I the institution to avoid causing anxiety to the new students. International students are faced by difficult language problems in the country they are in. These students are facing with language difficulties in understanding, writing, reading, speaking and listening hence affecting their social life and academic of the students. iii. loneliness Loneliness is experienced by international PBIT students due to being away from their families for a long time. Some of international students have problems in adjusting the new environments which causes anxiety leading to loneliness (Riley et al., 2008). Loneliness leads to psychological problems which lead to depression hence affecting their studies. According to Sawir and etal (2008), loneliness among international students is caused by lose of contacts from their family and friends. In addition, according to the research carried out by Coelho et al. (2000) in Australia, indicated that majority of the student loneliness is caused by homesick and too much school work which caused depression. Student in PBIT are depressed due to too much school work which gives them less freedom hence loneliness. iv. Unemployment and finance Admission of international students in Australia is considered as income generation to the country economy. International students are faced with financial problems while studying. These students are involved in low paying jobs to meet their financial needs during studying. International students financial needs include clothing, accommodation, tuition, food, transport and entertainment (Kane and Garber, 2009). This affects them psychologically since many of international students come from poor backgrounds and are not able to meet these needs (Connelly, 2008). Likewise, international students are allowed to work for 20 hours per week since they are considered unreliable by majority of the employees. This becomes so difficult for international students since they do not have tuition fees allowance. These financial difficulties affect international students which leads to depression hence poor performance. 2.4 Depression and substance abuse among students Substance abuse is the use of synthetic and natural products which change consciousness. Some of the substances abused include, tobacco, alcohol and drugs among others. Individuals abuse these substances for various reasons (Lundy et al., 2010). However, there is no prevention or treatment of substance abuse. With these, schools have come up with programs that teach students on the effects of substance abuse to limit their abuse. Substances abused produce toxics that alter physical control, attention, perception and judgment (Coelho et al., 2000). Similarly, they bring anxiety and hallucinations and may lead to death. Research shows that International PBIT students abuse substances more than other students in Australia. However, this abuse was found more in females than in males (Teychenne, Ball and Salmon, 2010). Female students with depression get drunk more which leads to them engaging in unsafe sex. This leads to poor performance in school. According to research carried out by Australian institute of health and welfare (2010), 70% of drinkers in Australia are students. However, the highest numbers of student drinkers are female students. According to the research, students engage in drinking due to psychological problems, education difficulties and loneliness (Gao, Paterson, Abbott, Carter and Lusitini, 2010). This leads to school drop outs and academic problems especially among international PBIT students. If depression is not treated early, it can lead to suicide. 2.5 Depression and family violence According to World Health Organization, violence is intention use of force to another person or a group of people. Use of violence may lead to mal-development, psychological harm or even death (Teychenne, Ball and Salmon, 2010). Family violence is most prominent since it takes place over a long period of time. In addition, the effects of violence increase with time (Coelho et al., 2000). Likewise, most people do not report family violence to the authorities. Family violence affects international students due to fear (Wilson and Durbin, 2010). This makes them unable to socialize with other people hence leading to loneliness which eventually leads to depression. This affects their academic performance which may also lead to death. 2.6 Effects of depression among international PBIT students Depression has various effects on international PIT students as well as college students. These effects are contributed by problems that affect them. There are various affects that are contributed by depression. i. Suicide Suicide is a common problem among college students and mostly international students. Research carried out in Australia colleges shows that 80% of the students are affected by depression of which 30% commit suicide. However, a research carried out by National College Health Assessment in 2010, the number of attempted suicide has risen. Causes of suicide among students were identified as hopelessness, financial problems and social problems among others which are contributed by depression (Berg et al., 2009). Causes of student suicide were identified to be more among internal students than local students. ii. Poor performance Depression one of major causes of poor performance in schools. Majority of international students in PBIT performs poorly in class (Connelly, 2008). This is due to problems affecting them which make them unable to concentrate their studies. This leads to school dropout in most colleges and universities. Depression among college students can lead to mental disorders (Solantaus et al., 2010). 2.7 Treatment of depression among international PBIT students Depression among people has no treatment but it can be prevented from different individuals. However, prevention of depression among international students starts with themselves (Teychenne, Ball and Salmon, 2010). International should seek information about the foreign language from an experienced person to be aware of what they expect when they get to the new place (Coelho et al., 2000). Similarly, they should be friendly to their fellow students to fight loneliness in the college. Learning Australian language will be helpful to the student which will assist them in communication without fear. There are several ways in which depression can be prevented among international PBIT students. i. Prevention of loneliness among international students Loneliness is one cause that leads to depression among international students (Cuijpers, Beekman, and Reynolds, 2012). To prevent this, student should engage in social network. Students should learn to make new friends faster to avoid loneliness. Likewise, continuous communication with family members and friends reduces loneliness among the students (Coelho et al., 2000). Social networking allows the students to engage in social activities such as outings which reduce loneliness. ii. Prevention of culture shock among international PBIT students Culture shock is known to affect international student so much. This is mainly caused by difficulty in trying to adapt the new environment. International students should learn the culture of Australia to enhance their adaption in the country. This will prevent them from suffering culture shock since they are aware of what they are expecting when they get there. iii. Prevention of financial problems among international PBIT students. Financial problems affect PBIT students which lead to depression. To prevent this, parents and guardians should assist their children to cater for their financial needs. This will ensure they have enough to cater for their basic hence concentrate on their studies effectively (Tytti et al., 2009). In addition, college and university administration should assist international students in securing part time jobs to boost their financial needs. iv. Prevention of family conflict and violence among international PBIT students Family conflict and violence affect international students to a large extent which leads to depression. International students should report family violence to the relevant authorities to prevent them from the abuse (Coelho et al., 2000). Colleges should introduce education on violence to students so that they can understand its effect hence preventing more damage. Likewise, student who have been violated should be isolated, give them the required education to prevent depression. In addition, it give the student effective environment for studying (Connelly, 2008). 3.0 Research questions and variables 1. Which of the two genders (male and female) is mostly affected by depression? a. Independent variable: the gender b. Dependent variable: depression 2. To what extent does unemployment and financial problems influence depression? a. Independent variable: employment and financial problem b. Dependent variable: depression 3. To what extent do family conflicts affect academic performance? a. Independent variable: family problem b. Dependent variable: academic performance 4. To what extent do family conflicts contribute to substance use (tobacco, alcohol and drugs)? a. Independent variable: family conflicts b. Dependent variable: substance use 5. To what extent does substance use influence social behavior? a. Independent variable: substance use b. Dependent variable: social behavior 6. To what extent does environment, culture and language influence depression? a. Independent variable: environment, culture and language b. Dependent variable: depression 3.1 Sub questions and variables 1. To what extent does family conflicts affects the health of the student psychologically? a. Independent variable: family problem b. Dependent variable: psychological health 2. To what extent does substance use (tobacco, alcohol and drugs) affect the health of the student? a. Independent variable: substance use b. Dependent variable: health 3.2 Significance of the research question This research study aspires to identify the impact and causes of family problems among international PBIT students. To enhance success of a research study, research questions should be identified properly. This research questions will help in determining the causes of family conflicts, substance use and how they are related to depression. Likewise, they will help in determining their effects to international PBIT students. 4.0 Definition of concepts To make the research more effective, definition of different terms is important to assist the readers to understand the paper effectively. Depression –it is a common mental illness that is associated with sadness which lead to lack of social interest. Violence - violence is intention use of force to another person or a group of people which result in injury or death. Aggression - a range of behaviors that can result in both physical and psychological harm to oneself, other or objects in the environment. Anxiety - is a physiological state characterized by cognitive, emotional, somatic and behavioral components. Drug - is any substance which when absorbed into the body changes normal bodily function. Alcohol – it is a form of a substance which is made from barely which when taken takes the body functions. Alcohol absorption affects kidneys, lungs, and liver. Tobacco - is a green, leafy plant that is grown in warm climates. After it is picked, it is dried, ground up, and used in different ways. It can be smoked in a cigarette, pipe, or cigar. It can be chewed or sniffed through the nose. Intoxication- is the acute state of physical and cognitive impairment caused by drinking alcohol or being exposed to a psychoactive drug. Suicide – it refers to death as a result of self-inflicted harm where the intention was to die. 5.0 Ethical statement Human research is a sensitive topic which possesses numerous issues ranging from confidentiality to risks associated with the research. Some of the values championed by National Health and Medical Research Council (2007) include justice, beneficence, human being, research merit and integrity. This aim ensures that ethical equality, mutual responsibility and trust is encouraged in any research involving humans. Additionally, other important factors emphasised by the policy include respect for altruism and cultural diversity contributing to community goals. These guidelines are vital in ensuring that any research study is trustworthy and is within the limits of law. In the case of the current research, the views and aspirations of National Health and Medical Research Council are encouraged (Connelly, 2008). For example, participants will be informed in advance on what is supposed of them and the limits in which the information gathered will be utilised. This means that the students and the management of the institution will be involved in informing international PBIT students and determine whether the participant accepts to proceed with the research. In addition, the participants will be requested to clarify whether they understand the questions, which will be based on confidentiality, respect and understanding the position the person is in. 6.0 Research Design Quantitative research will be used in carrying out the research (McBurney & White, 2009). The instrument that will be used will be a questionnaire because it has numerous benefits compared to other instruments. Questionnaires will be distributed to international PBIT students and the administration of the college, where they will present their views. Questionnaires allow standardisation of information and objectivity of the participants in presenting their views. Moreover, utilisation of a questionnaire ensures that information is collected quickly and information can be received from a wide audience base. 7.0 Sampling Technique The aim of sampling is to select subset of participants that will represent a statistical population to estimate population characteristics (Blessing & Chakrabarti, 2009). Sampling is important since data collection is faster, it is cheap and since the data collected will be small, it contributes to improvement on accuracy and homogeneity. In addition, sampling technique should factor the application of the information, and how the information will be utilised statistically. Regarding the research on effects of family problems to international PBIT students on their performance, information will be collected from different colleges (McBurney & White, 2009). Information will be collected from five students and five administrators in each college. After compiling the information, the information will be analysed as a group rather from specific colleges. This will ensure that information gathered reflects on characteristics and effects of affected students (Connelly, 2008). The information gathered will be analysed with the help of Microsoft Excel software. The information will be presented in terms of tables, charts and graphs. This approach ensures that information can be synthesised easily by persons requiring utilising the information. 8.0 Questionnaire design The important point to be known so that an effective questionnaire can be designed is what the researcher wants to find out. The type of questionnaire utilised and the efficiency of the questionnaire itself determine the success of a research (Blessing & Chakrabarti, 2009). In creating a good questionnaire, it is important to analyse the purpose and structure of the questionnaire and also the wording of the questionnaire. It is important to understand the purpose of the questionnaire because a questionnaire is only good if the questions in it are good (McBurney & White, 2009). Moreover, it is important to know the usefulness of each question based on what the research aims to achieve. Thus, it is paramount to prioritise items on the questionnaire to ensure that the entire process is credibly. It is important also to understand and structure the questionnaire in a manner that the participants can understand it. The questionnaire should contain an introduction line that explains the purpose of the question and how the data collected will be utilised (Blessing & Chakrabarti, 2009). Questions should be structure according meaning the general questions should start and the questionnaires ends with questions that are specific to the research, and the questions should be grouped in terms of similarity (Coelho et al., 2000). It is crucial to determine the type of questionnaire to be utilised: either open or closed questionnaire. The closed type of questionnaire has numerous disadvantages that may include bias and ineffective data collection process while an open questionnaire allows for objective information from the respondents because they are not limited to the views presented by the researcher (McBurney & White, 2009). Wording is also important in creating a good questionnaire. Wording of the questionnaire items is paramount to ensure ineffectiveness such as through bias in the questionnaire is avoided (McBurney & White, 2009). Moreover, in drafting the questionnaire, it is important to avoid technical or jargon terms that are unlikely to be understood by the respondents (Blessing & Chakrabarti, 2009). It is also important to avoid those questions that are ambiguous since the answers that will be received will not have any importance. Combination of questions, e.g. utilisation of and should be avoided in those questions that a research expects either a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answers. In wording the question, it is important to avoid double negatives, leading question and avoid loaded questions. Loaded questions sometimes contain information that may make answers to be biased (Bales & Ritchie, 2009). In addition, it is important to allow the respondents to answer the questions in simple manner e.g. ticking an appropriate answer rather than deleting what does not apply. From the analysis, it is paramount to ensure that the purpose, structure and wording of a questionnaire should be easily understood and answers the research objective (McBurney & White, 2009). Thus, in formulating research questions and structuring the questionnaire, I ensure that I do not use words that are difficult to understand, questions that avoid biasness and leading. In addition, I ensured that the questionnaire is structured in a manner that is easy to follow and the questions on the questionnaire are effectively aimed at answering the research problem. 9.0 Pilot Study This is a small experiment/study designed to gather information or to test logistics before proceeding into a larger study (Blessing & Chakrabarti, 2009). The aim of pilot study is to ensure that efficiency and quality is improved on the actual research. Carrying out a pilot study helps in revealing deficiencies in the proposed procedure and it allows for correction of these weaknesses before proceeding with the actual research to avoid wastage of both resources and time (McBurney & White, 2009). To ensure that a study is successful, it is important to carry out a pilot study that allows for a good research strategy. A pilot study is smaller in comparison to the actual study. The information collected from a pilot study and because of its limited information on the magnitude and resources, capacity may provide minimal information on the study (McBurney & White, 2009). Before proceeding with a pilot study, it is important to review literature to allow for information that defines variability. Nevertheless, pilot study allows for collection of important information on the severity of aimed procedures. 2.1 Sample analysis To illustrate the analysis, I requested international students and administrators in different colleges to fill the questionnaire. These questionnaires allowed gathering information which I used in drafting the results of the analysis. 2.2 Advantages and disadvantages of questionnaires Face-to -face approach allows an interviewer to identify the appropriate interviewee to complete the questionnaire. In addition, face-to-face questionnaires allow for a more detailed collection of information and it takes a shorter time to collect the required information (Blessing & Chakrabarti, 2009). Moreover, questionnaires are standardised meaning that information that is more objective can be gathered to fulfil the requirements of the research study. Face-to-face questionnaire ensures that validity and reliability is encouraged because any researcher can collect information easily. The disadvantage of face-to-face questionnaire is time consuming, costly and other times labour intensive compared to other methods used for collecting information (McBurney & White, 2009). Moreover, utilisation of a questionnaire does not measure other forms of information that may include feelings, behaviour and changes of emotions (Ansary and Luthar, 2009). The participants may read the questions on the questionnaire and interpret them differently meaning that subjectivity is compromised. 10.0 Results The sample conducted from international PBIT students consisted of male and female where 60% were female and 40% were male. From the pilot study, female students were affected by depression more than male students. The research indicated that 53% of female students were affected by depression while 47% of male students were affected by depression. Moreover, 58% of female international PBIT students were found depressed due to family conflicts while 42% were male students. In addition, 48% of the male international PBIT students were found to be depressed due to unemployment and financial problems. From the research, 40% of the student had part time jobs while 60% were unemployed hence depressed due to unemployment. This indicates that family problems affected international PBIT students more which influenced depression hence poor performance. 11. 0 Section 1- Demographics Figure 1: Gender Representation Section 2- results from the survey Figure 2: Factors influencing depression on international PBIT students both female and male Figure 3: factors influencing depression Figure 4: Employment of international PBIT students both male and female 12.0 Conclusion Depression among international PBIT student affects female more than male. Family conflicts influences depression among students among other factors. Depression is associated with symptoms such as anxious, sad, sleeping problems, memory loss and loss of appetite among others. Depression has various effects on international PIT students which include Suicide and Poor performance. 13.0 References Angie, K., Deborah, B., Cris, S., and Megan, G. (2010). 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Age: 15-25¨ 26-35¨ 36-45¨ above 45¨ 3. Employment status: part time¨ casual¨ unemployed¨ 4. Have you ever suffered from depression? Yes ¨ No ¨ 5. What was the cause of your depression? Financial issues ¨ Family violence ¨ Unemployment ¨ Academic performance ¨ 6. Do you use any substance? Alcohol ¨ Tobacco ¨ Drugs ¨ Read More