WITHDRAWN Mental Health Problems in First Generation University Students: A UK Perspective
Author(s):
Tereza Vengřinová (presenting / submitting) Donna Smith (presenting)
Conference:
ECER 2024
Network:
22. Research in Higher Education
Format:
Symposium Paper

Session Information

22 SES 14 C, Challenges for First-generation Students in Times of Uncertainty

Symposium

Time:
2024-08-30
09:30-11:00
Room:
Room 146 in ΘΕE 01 (Faculty of Pure & Applied Sciences [FST01]) [Floor 1]
Chair:
Katerina Machovcova
Discussant:
Erna Nairz-Wirth

Contribution

First-generation students (FGS; those whose parents did not achieve a university degree) constitute almost half of the UK university population (Office for Students, 2022). The UK University Mental Health Charter (Hughes & Spanner, 2019) recognises that FGS may face greater challenges to their mental health than continuing generation students (CGS; those with at least one parent who achieved a university degree). However, a scoping review of the international literature (Smith & McLellan, 2023) found no published empirical research on the mental health of FGS at UK universities. An online study was carried out to address this gap in the research. Participants were students aged 18 years or older from any UK university and were recruited to the study via advertisements on social media. A sample of 247 university students, comprising both FGS (n = 115) and CGS (n = 128) completed a survey containing demographic questions (gender identity, age, level of study, parental education) and scales to measure mental health problems (depression, eating concerns, substance use, generalised anxiety, frustration/anger, social anxiety, family distress, academic distress and a total distress index). In addition, participants responded to open-ended questions on mental health. In this presentation I will report the findings of this study and discuss the implications for FGS, widening participation and future research in this field. This study makes a significant contribution to knowledge about mental health problems in UK FGS and adds a UK perspective to existing international research.

References

Hughes, G., & Spanner, L. (2019). The University Mental Health Charter. Student Minds. https://www.studentminds.org.uk/uploads/3/7/8/4/3784584/191208_umhc_artwork.pdf Office for Students. (2022). Equality, diversity and student characteristics data. https://www.officeforstudents.org.uk/publications/equality-diversity-and-student-characteristics-data/ Smith, D., & McLellan, R. (2023). Mental health problems in first-generation university students: A scoping review. Review of Education, 11(3), e3418. https://doi.org/10.1002/rev3.3418

Author Information

Tereza Vengřinová (presenting / submitting)
Masaryk University
Ostrava
Donna Smith (presenting)
University of Cambridge

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