An Evolutionary Explanation for Depression in US Chinese International Students

In the current era of accelerating globalization, international educational exchanges are becoming increasingly frequent, and the scale of the international student body continues to expand. The mental health issues of international students have also drawn increasing attention. Take the United States as an example. In recent years, the mental health problems of teenagers have become increasingly serious. Mental health problems among Chinese international students (CIS) in the United States have gained increasing attention. Developing depression is often influenced by family financial support. This study hypothesizes that when support is perceived as a performance expectation, willingness to reciprocate (WTR) decreases, increasing depression risk; when perceived as a happiness expectation, WTR increases, reducing depression risk. Using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and a self-developed expectations scale, we found that CIS interpretations of familial support vary by relational model: communal sharing fosters security and lowers depression risk, while market pricing and authority ranking link support to performance, increasing pressure and depression. University services and culturally sensitive interventions can reframe support as unconditional care, reducing anxiety and strengthening WTR.