2016/07/29 by Thomas Richardson, Peter Elliott, Ron Roberts +1 · 1 citation
Business, Management and Accounting · Health Professions · Social Sciences · #Employment and Welfare Studies #Financial Literacy, Pension, Retirement Analysis #Health disparities and outcomes
paper · pdf · doi:10.1007/s10597-016-0052-0
crossref issued 2016/07/29 · crossref published 2016/07/29 · crossref published-online 2016/07/29 · openalex publication_date 2016/07/29 · crossref created 2016/07/29 · crossref published-print 2017/04/01 · crossref deposited 2017/06/24 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · crossref indexed 2026/07/29 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/30
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.