The mental health of parent versus non-parent post-secondary students

Abstract

Post-secondary students experience abnormally high levels of stress compared to the general population, and parents pursuing post-secondary education have additional demands that challenge their mental health. Understanding the mental health of parent versus non-parent students is imperative to support students in their academic pursuits. The purpose of this mixed-methods, cross-sectional paper was two-fold: (1) to investigate the mental health (flourishing/languishing) of parents pursuing post-secondary education in Ontario, Canada with children/youth aged 0–18 years compared to non-parent post-secondary students; and (2) to explore parents’ and non-parents’ lived experiences of mental health (flourishing/languishing) while pursuing post-secondary education. A total of 374 students (n = 86 parents; n = 288 non-parents) completed an online survey that included demographics and the previously validated Mental Health Continuum-Short Form. A subset of participants (n = 10 parents; n = 10 non-parents) participated in one of six focus groups (3 parent focus groups; 3 non-parent focus groups). Results from the independent sample t-tests indicated no significant differences between the overall mental health scores. Thematic analysis revealed 4 themes for student-parents: (1) factors that challenge mental health; (2) realities of being a student-parent; (3) social connectivity among family and friends; and (4) mental health fluctuations. A total of 6 non-parent specific themes were found: (1) social connectivity among peers; (2) factors that challenge mental health; (3) the bidirectional relationship between school and mental health status; (4) prioritizing academic roles; (5) finding purpose through academic pursuits; and (6) admiration for student-parents. Findings from the current study highlight the dichotomy in student-parent versus non-parent academic identities and are important for university personnel to understand to provide tailored supports.