TITLE:
Family Separation and Mental Well-Being among International Students in the United States
AUTHORS:
Sabiha Afrin
KEYWORDS:
International Students, Stress, Anxiety, Coping Strategy, Homesickness
JOURNAL NAME:
Advances in Applied Sociology,
Vol.16 No.9,
September
8,
2026
ABSTRACT: This study explores the mental well-being of family separation among international students in the United States, focusing particularly on stress, anxiety, and homesickness. This is a qualitative study conducted based on in-depth semi-structured interviews. Five international graduate students were interviewed from two different universities. Findings of this qualitative approach suggest that students’ emotional consequences are not uniform but differ from person to person. It depends on personal circumstances and life situations. The study also found that cultural difficulties initially hamper students, but these gradually decrease as they become more familiar with the new environment. A limitation of the study was its small sample size, but it has many insights. It contributes to the literature by providing information on how students manage emotional challenges while maintaining academic engagement.