Risk Factors for OFW Family Separation and Campus Mental-Health Demand

Labor migration stands as an enduring structural pillar within the Philippine socioeconomic landscape, creating millions of transnational domestic arrangements where parents seek overseas employment while their children remain situated in the homeland [3]. Although international labor deployment provides indispensable household remittances, the prolonged physical division of core family units introduces complex psychosocial vulnerabilities among growing dependents [1]. Recognizing how parental absence influences emotional stability has emerged as an urgent imperative for higher education institutions that accommodate increasing numbers of migrant-dependent students [6].

The prolonged geographical separation between parents and offspring substantially alters foundational domestic caregiving structures, frequently delegating surrogate guardianship to extended kin or necessitating premature self-reliance among youth [1]. These transnational familial conditions often generate chronic emotional strain, feelings of abandonment, and identity struggles among enrolled student dependents [6]. Nevertheless, pervasive social stigma regarding psychological consultation, coupled with fragmented coordination between state labor agencies and educational bodies, consistently impedes early identification and supportive mental-health intervention across university settings [3].

This research paper critically investigates the primary risk factors stemming from Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) family separation and assesses their direct relationship to campus mental-health service demands. Employing a rigorous secondary synthesis of peer-reviewed empirical literature, developmental models, and statutory welfare reviews, the study examines dependent coping adaptations alongside campus clinical resources [1], [3]. This analytical framework identifies profound systemic gaps across national migration governance and institutional counseling delivery mechanisms within Philippine tertiary education [3], [6].

By articulating the dynamic intersection between global labor trends and domestic mental-health requirements, this analysis offers actionable theoretical insights for academic counselors, student affairs administrators, and social policy planners [3], [4]. Establishing targeted institutional mechanisms diminishes the barriers associated with counseling access, enabling proactive psychosocial monitoring for vulnerable student groups [1]. Ultimately, integrating specialized support structures into university environments strengthens long-term psychological resilience and academic perseverance among youth navigating the persistent challenges of parental overseas employment [6].