The Correlation Between Type C International School Chinese Students' Academic Stress and Their Willingness to Seek Help from School Social-Emotional Counselors in Guangzhou, China

Abstract

This study investigates the correlation between academic stress and the willingness of Chinese high school students in Type C International School in Guangzhou, China, to seek help from school social-emotional counselors. Previous research has identified significant mental health issues among Chinese high school students due to high academic stress. Despite similar research on Asian international students in the United States, there is a lack of research targeting Chinese high school students within China. Using a mixed-methods approach, this study surveyed 56 students with the Student Stress Inventory (SSI) and the Willingness to Seek Counseling Scale (WSC) and included two open-ended questions for qualitative insights. The data was analyzed using the Pearson Correlation Coefficient, P-value, and Coding method. The research shows a significant weak positive correlation (r = 0.28, p < 0.05) between academic stress and willingness to seek counseling. Key factors influencing this relationship included perceived ineffectiveness of counseling, self-reliance, and lack of trust in counselors, with performance pressure, workload concerns, and course difficulty as primary stressors. The findings suggest that although students are willing to seek help under high stress, barriers such as cultural stigma and distrust in counseling services limit actual engagement. Due to the limitations of the correlation method, a cause-and-effect relationship cannot be established; further experiments must be conducted to gain a clearer understanding of this phenomenon. However, this study still provides valuable insights for Chinese educators and policymakers to enhance counseling services, aiming to better support the mental health needs of Chinese high school students.