title: The impact of tuition fees amount on mental health over time in British students.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Previous studies have shown a relationship between debt and mental health problems in students. This study aimed to examine the effect of differences in tuition fees amount on changes in mental health over time.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective cohort study followed 390 first-year British students who differed on their tuition fees level at 4 time points across their first 2 years at university. Participants completed measures of global mental health, depression, anxiety, stress, alcohol-related problems at up to four time points in their first two years at university. Mixed-factorial ANOVAs were used to assess the impact of tuition fees amount on changes in scores over time.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no difference based on fees at Time 1 for anxiety, stress, depression and global mental health. At Time 2, those charged £0-2.9k or £3-4k improved while those charged £8-9k stayed the same. However, this trend reversed by Times 3 and 4.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Undergraduates mental health is partially affected by the level of tuition fees; however, the recent increase in tuition fees does not appear to have had a lasting impact at present.
authors: Professional Training Unit, School of Psychology, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ, UK Mental Health Recovery Team South, Solent NHS Trust, Portsmouth PO3 6AD, UK.
authors: T
authors: T
authors: Richardson
authors: Professional Training Unit, School of Psychology, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ, UK.
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Elliott
authors: Department of Psychology, Kingston University, Surrey KT1 2EE, UK.
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Roberts
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology; D001007:Anxiety / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology; D003863:Depression / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology; D005249:Fees and Charges / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology; D014495:Universities / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: debt; depression; financial stress; mental health; student; undergraduate