2013 Conference

Financial Services

Health

Many university administrators are concerned that debt loads and other financial concerns are negatively affecting student wellness. This study sought to explore factors related to financial stress among college students. Responses from the 2010 Ohio Student Wellness Survey were analyzed using means tests and multivariate logistic regressions. The results show that financial stress is widespread among students – 71% of the sample reported feeling stress from personal finances. The results of the means tests and logistic regressions show that this study successfully identified important financial stressors among college students. Two of the most important financial stressors were not having enough money to participate in the same activities as peers and expecting to have higher amounts of student loan debt at graduation. The results also indicate that students with higher self-efficacy and greater optimism about the future are significantly less likely to report financial stress. Implications for student life administrator, policymakers, and financial counselors are discussed.