Research on the Impact of Social and Emotional Support Provided by Chinese Social Media on Overseas Chinese Students

Abstract

This study investigated the impact of Chinese social media on social and emotional support for overseas Chinese students. The survey results of 120 Chinese students overseas showed that most used Chinese social media to stay connected with family and friends and relieve negative emotions. The study showed that Chinese social media platforms play an important role in promoting the maintenance of emotional connections, alleviating loneliness, and supporting cross-cultural adaptation. In addition, although most students reported positive mental health outcomes, the emotional support provided by social media may not fully address cross-cultural adaptation issues and psychological stress from academic pressure, cultural differences, and language barriers. Although these platforms are important tools for emotional support, they have limitations in providing comprehensive social interactions and psychological support compared to offline interactions. This study emphasizes the need for all sectors of Chinese society to establish a more complete emotional support system for international students to enhance the happiness and cross-cultural adaptation of overseas Chinese students.