International students are considered a high-risk group for mental health and well-being challenges due to various psychosocial stressors they face. This study investigates the influence of social identities on the psychological well-being of international students. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 11 international students and three university support staff members at a university in Southern England. Using reflexive thematic analysis (RTA), we analysed the data and discussed the findings in relation to the Social Identity Model of Identity Change (SIMIC). Two key themes emerged: (a) Alienation in the UK, which complicated students’ adjustment and negatively impacted their psychological well-being, and at times, worsened mental health issues; and (b) Shared Experiences as a Foundation for Friendships and Service Utilisation, which facilitated the formation of friendships, helped students recognise their unique identity-based strengths, and encouraged engagement with university support services. These findings provide important insights for developing interventions specifically tailored to international students, highlighting their background-specific experiences.

Endorsement of the employed student identity can provide social support for employed students or protection from negative intergroup comparisons. However, not much is known about what identity aspects or characteristics comprise the employed student identity and how they become important and central to that identity. Using data from 215 employed university students in the UK, we investigated two research questions (RQ’s) in this mixed-method study. RQ1. What are the identity aspects that participants ascribe to the employed student identity? RQ2. Are identity aspects that distinguish employed from non-employed students, and are considered more suitable for employed versus non-employed students, more central and more important to the employed students’ self-concept? A thematic analysis categorised the identity aspects that participants selected into 14 distinct categories, with the most important categories being hard-working, being organised, having motivation, and discipline. Multilevel analyses of identity aspects within individuals revealed that distinctiveness was negatively associated with the importance and centrality of aspects, whereas suitability for employed students was positively associated with the importance and centrality of aspects. We offer practical value through revealing important identity aspects which inoculate employed students against negative intergroup comparisons, and theoretical value through suggesting future avenues for employed students’ identity construction.