Coping is defined as the cognitive and behavioral efforts employed to manage circumstances perceived as demanding or surpassing an individual’s resources ( Lazarus & Folkman, 1984 ). Research involving international students suggests that coping strategies play a crucial role in adaptation, life satisfaction, academic success ( Struthers et al., 2000 ), and self-efficacy ( Sun & Lyu, 2022 ). Conversely, maladaptive coping mechanisms may negatively impact health outcomes ( Pritchard et al., 2007 ). However, prior research has not conclusively identified which coping styles correlate with high or low well-being among international students from diverse cultural backgrounds living abroad.

The literature distinguishes between dispositional and situational coping. Proponents of dispositional coping theories argue that individuals tend to rely on preferred coping strategies across various stressful situations, reflecting a relatively stable trait rather than adapting anew to each context ( McCrae & Costa, 1986 ). For this study, dispositional coping styles were measured using a questionnaire developed by Heppner, Cook, Wright, and Johnson (1995) . Coping strategies are often categorized into problem-focused and emotion-focused approaches ( Lazarus & Folkman, 1984 ). Problem-focused strategies target the resolution of the stressor itself, while emotion-focused strategies aim to alleviate the associated emotional distress. Within this framework, reflective coping—a problem-focused style—involves systematic analysis, planning, and examining causal relationships. In contrast, suppressive and reactive coping represent emotion-focused strategies. The suppressive style involves denying or avoiding problems, whereas the reactive style is characterized by emotional and cognitive responses that hinder effective coping ( Heppner et al., 2004 ).

Prior research indicates that problem-focused coping is generally more adaptive and linked to greater psychological well-being ( Holahan & Moos, 1987 ; Penley et al., 2002 ; Shimazu & Schaufeli, 2007 ). Conversely, emotion-focused strategies are often associated with negative outcomes, such as depressive symptoms, phobic anxiety, and somatization ( Holahan & Moos, 1987 ; Penley et al., 2002 ; Watson & Sinha, 2008 ).

Psychological well-being encompasses a broad sense of happiness ( Schmutte & Ryff, 1997 ) as well as an affective state marked by effective daily functioning ( Deci & Ryan, 2008 ). It thus represents the interplay between positive emotional experiences and optimal psychological functioning ( Huppert, 2009 ). This study investigates the link between coping strategies and well-being among international students in China, specifically examining whether prior findings on coping styles and well-being hold true in this unique context. We hypothesized that reflective coping would predict higher psychological well-being, while suppressive and reactive coping styles would correlate with lower well-being in this population.

Coping strategies may evolve with age, as older individuals tend to employ more resource-efficient mechanisms, exhibit stronger emotional regulation, and perceive stressors as less intense ( Aldwin, 2011 ). Additionally, sociodemographic factors—such as gender, age, financial support, degree level, and field of study—were expected to moderate stress levels and, consequently, well-being. These variables were first analyzed for their predictive power in a regression model, after which the additional influence of coping styles was assessed.

All of the measures reached a satisfactory level of internal consistency ranging from 0.70 (reactive coping) to 0.92 (SSI) (see Table 2 ).

Multiple linear regression analysis was used to find out the extent to which socio-demographic variables predict psychological well-being among the students. Variables were entered in the form comprised Gender, Age, Degree, Time in China, Chinese level, Health status. Female was coded as 0, whereas male was coded as 1. For degree, bachelor studies served as a reference group.

Results show that socio-demographic variables explained a small amount of variance (less than 1%) in well-being. None of Gender, Age, Degree, Time in China reached statistical significance in predicting psychological well-being outcomes. Chinese level and health status were the predictors reaching significant values either regarding the analysis The analysis indicates the students who are better at Chinese have higher level of psychological well-being as compared to the students who is not good at Chinese. The students who evaluate themselves in better health status have higher level of psychological well-being as compared to the students who are in bad health status.

Adding the second block of variables consisting of coping styles resulted in a much better model in terms of explained variance. Reflective coping turned out to be a relatively stronger predictor of a high level of psychological well-being, whereas suppressive coping are predictive of a low level of psychological well-being. Also, reactive coping is rather dysfunctional but much less so than suppressive coping (see Table 3 ).

*p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001.

The present findings reveal that socio-demographic variables, including gender, age, degree level, and duration of stay in China, accounted for a negligible proportion of variance (<1%) in predicting psychological well-being among international students. Specifically, the coefficients for gender, age, degree level, and time in China are −1.01, −0.80, 2.63, and 1.31 respectively. However, the overall R² value is 0.71, indicating that other unexamined variables such as Chinese level (coefficient = 4.17*), health status (coefficient = 4.94*), and coping styles (e.g., Reflective with a coefficient of 96*) are more influential. This aligns with recent studies emphasizing the limited role of static demographic factors in well-being outcomes within cross-cultural contexts, which demonstrated that demographic variables such as age and gender explained less than 2% of variance in well-being among Asian international students in Western countries, underscoring the need to explore dynamic psychological and contextual factors. The non-significance of these variables in our study may reflect the homogenizing effects of shared stressors (e.g., academic pressure, acculturative challenges) that overshadow individual demographic differences ( Park et al., 2024 ).

Notably, Chinese language proficiency and self-rated health status emerged as significant predictors of psychological well-being. Students with advanced Chinese skills reported higher well-being, who identified language mastery as a critical mediator of social integration and emotional resilience among international students in China ( Mamat & Anderson, 2023 ).

Improved language competence likely facilitates access to social support networks, cultural participation, and academic success—factors directly linked to reduced acculturative stress ( Yin, Ong, & Qiao, 2024 ). Similarly, the strong association between health status and well-being corroborates global evidence that self-perceived health serves as a robust indicator of psychological functioning, particularly in populations navigating chronic stressors.

The introduction of coping styles substantially improved the model’s explanatory power, accounting for a significant incremental variance. Reflective coping emerged as the strongest predictor of elevated well-being, supporting its role as an adaptive strategy for problem-solving and stress management. This aligns with the research before ( Martinez et al., 2024 ), which identified reflective coping as a “psychological buffer” against academic and interpersonal stressors in international student populations ( Yang et al., 2024 ). Conversely, suppressive coping was strongly associated with diminished well-being. Avoidance-oriented strategies exacerbate emotional dysregulation and social isolation. Reactive coping, while dysfunctional, exhibited weaker detrimental effects compared to suppressive coping, suggesting that even maladaptive emotional engagement may confer temporary relief in high-stress environments ( Trudel-Fitzgerald et al., 2025 ).

These results highlight the primacy of dynamic, modifiable factors (e.g., coping mechanisms, language skills) over fixed demographic traits in shaping well-being trajectories. Universities should prioritize interventions that enhance reflective coping strategies, such as cognitive-behavioral workshops and peer mentorship programs, while addressing structural barriers to language acquisition and health-care access. Future research should explore longitudinal interactions between language proficiency, coping flexibility, and health outcomes in diverse cultural settings.

This study on international students in China found that socio-demographic variables like gender and age had little impact on psychological well-being, while Chinese language proficiency and self-rated health status were significant predictors. Coping styles also mattered: reflective coping positively predicted well-being, suppressive coping negatively, and reactive coping had a weaker negative effect. These results highlight the importance of dynamic factors. Thus, universities should design interventions to enhance reflective coping, like providing cognitive-behavioral workshops and peer mentorship, and remove barriers to language learning and healthcare access.

The current study provides valuable insights into the predictors of psychological well-being among international students, highlighting the importance of language proficiency, health status, and coping styles. However, several limitations warrant consideration for future research. This study employed a cross-sectional design, which limits the ability to infer causality between variables. Future studies should adopt longitudinal designs to explore how changes in language proficiency, health status, and coping strategies over time impact well-being. Besides, the study did not explore the impact of university support systems and social networks, which are crucial in the acculturation process. Future research should put those in consideration. While the study controlled for cultural differences by including students from diverse backgrounds, it did not delve deeply into how specific cultural norms influence coping styles and well-being. Future research should explore these cultural nuances more thoroughly. The study identified reflective coping as a strong predictor of well-being but did not explore interventions to enhance this coping style. Future research should develop and evaluate programs aimed at improving reflective coping skills among international students. The study did not account for broader contextual factors such as university support systems, social networks, or economic conditions, which can significantly impact well-being. Future studies should consider these factors to provide a more comprehensive understanding of well-being predictors.

In conclusion, while this study contributes to our understanding of psychological well-being among international students, future research should address these limitations to develop more effective interventions and support systems for this population.