Abstract
<p>Background: Evidence on the mental health of non-international students with a Chinese migration background in Europe remains limited and inconsistent. Aims: To examine the mental health of university students with a Chinese migration background in the Netherlands and investigate the roles of social support and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). Methods: Data were drawn from the Caring Universities project. Participants’ ethnicity was categorized by parental country of birth. Outcomes included overall mental health, depressive and anxiety symptoms, perceived stress, and alcohol use. Regression-based analyses examined indirect associations of social support and interactions with ACEs, adjusting for age and sex. Results: Compared with Dutch students, Chinese and European students reported poorer overall mental health and higher depressive symptoms, while European students also reported higher anxiety. Chinese students reported lower alcohol use than all other groups and the lowest social support. Significant indirect associations through social support were observed across outcomes, particularly for overall mental health and depressive symptoms. ACEs were associated with poorer mental health but did not meaningfully alter group differences. Conclusions: Mental health differences among student groups varied across outcomes rather than reflecting a single pattern of vulnerability. Similar patterns in overall mental health and depressive symptoms among Chinese and European students highlight the potential importance of migration-related experiences, while social support emerged as an important factor associated with mental health.</p>