title: The Mental Health Status of Single-Parent Community College Students in California.
abstract: Single-parenting students face unique challenges that may adversely affect their mental health, which have not been explored in community college settings.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The authors conducted secondary analysis of Spring 2013 data from the American College Health Association-National College Health Assessment to examine difficulties facing single-parent community college students and the association between single parenting and negative mental health (depression, self-injury, suicide attempt).
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants were 6,832 California community college students, of whom 309 were single parents.
  
  
  METHODS
  Demographic and mental health data were characterized using univariate descriptive analyses. Bivariate analyses determined whether single parents differed from other students regarding negative mental health or traumatic/difficult events.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Finances, family, and relationship difficulties disproportionally affected single parents, who reported nearly twice as many suicide attempts as their counterparts (5.3% vs. 2.7%; p < .0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Single-parenting students face a higher prevalence of mental health stressors than other community college students.
authors.affiliation: a School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine , Irvine , California.
authors.forename: Divya P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Shenoy
authors.affiliation: b Student Health Center , Ohlone College , Fremont , California.
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: b Student Health Center , Ohlone College , Fremont , California.
authors.forename: Sang Leng
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Trieu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002140:California; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D016208:Databases, Factual; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health / Q000639:trends*; D008875:Middle Aged; D020380:Needs Assessment; D018570:Risk Assessment; D015406:Single Parent / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014495:Universities; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Community college; depression; mental health; single parent; suicidality