title: A Longitudinal Study of Financial Difficulties and Mental Health in a National Sample of British Undergraduate Students.
abstract: Previous research has shown a relationship between financial difficulties and poor mental health in students, but most research is cross-sectional. To examine longitudinal relationships over time between financial variables and mental health in students. A national sample of 454 first year British undergraduate students completed measures of mental health and financial variables at up to four time points across a year. Cross-sectional relationships were found between poorer mental health and female gender, having a disability and non-white ethnicity. Greater financial difficulties predicted greater depression and stress cross-sectionally, and also predicted poorer anxiety, global mental health and alcohol dependence over time. Depression worsened over time for those who had considered abandoning studies or not coming to university for financial reasons, and there were effects for how students viewed their student loan. Anxiety and alcohol dependence also predicted worsening financial situation suggesting a bi-directional relationship. Financial difficulties appear to lead to poor mental health in students with the possibility of a vicious cycle occurring.
authors.affiliation: Mental Health Recovery Team North, Solent NHS Trust, St. Mary's Community Health Campus, Milton Road, Portsmouth, PO3 6AD, UK. thr1g10@soton.ac.uk.|School of Psychology, University of Southampton, Southampton, SO17 1BJ, UK. thr1g10@soton.ac.uk.|Psychology, Kingston University, London, UK. thr1g10@soton.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Richardson
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, University of Southampton, Southampton, SO17 1BJ, UK.|Psychology, Kingston University, London, UK.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Elliott
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Kingston University, Surrey, KT1 2EE, UK.
authors.forename: Ron
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.affiliation: Mental Health Recovery Team North, Solent NHS Trust, St. Mary's Community Health Campus, Milton Road, Portsmouth, PO3 6AD, UK.|School of Psychology, University of Southampton, Southampton, SO17 1BJ, UK.|Psychology, Kingston University, London, UK.
authors.forename: Megan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jansen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004739:England; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D008875:Middle Aged; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000191:economics; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014495:Universities; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Debt; Financial; Mental Health; Student; Undergraduate