What do we know about mental health in first generation students at UK universities?

In a nutshell, we know very little about the mental health of first generation university students in the UK and my PhD research aims to redress this. 

Firstly, who are first generation students? First generation students (FGS) are those whose parents did not achieve a university degree. Continuing generation students (CGS) are those with at least one parent with a university degree. FGS make up almost half of the UK university population.

Why should we be concerned?

Poor mental health in students is a concern for universities both in the UK and worldwide. For example, a survey of eight countries including the UK found that one third of first year university students screened positive for a mental health disorder. The UK University Mental Health Charter recognises that FGS are likely to face additional challenges to their mental health.

However, my scoping review of the international literature on mental health problems in FGS found no published empirical research from the UK. Most studies were from the US and were quantitative, studying a narrow subset of mental health problems (mainly stress, anxiety and depression). There was evidence that mental health problems are more prevalent in FGS than CGS but this was complex and nuanced. The scoping review demonstrated that much more research is needed 

What about mental health problems in UK FGS?

In my recent study, 247 UK university students completed an anonymous online survey including a measure of mental health problems (generalised anxiety, social anxiety, depression, eating concerns, academic distress, family distress, substance use, frustration/anger).

Preliminary analyses found that FGS scored higher than CGS for all mental health problems, although these differences were not statistically significant. Recent evidence from an analysis of longitudinal data also found that the percentage of UK students reporting mental health difficulties was higher for FGS than CGS.

What's next for FGS mental health research?

I am currently analysing quantitative data from the online survey on factors which affect mental health in UK university students. The online survey also included open-ended responses and this qualitative data will enrich the quantitative analyses. For example, one participant responded to the question 'What do you think universities could do to improve mental health in students?' with the following: 

"Realise that whilst we are … there because we deserve to be, a lot of us don't feel that way. Particularly as we might be first gen uni students who have the pressure of self/family expectations and then how this impacts us mentally… I sometimes feel like I get left behind due to not knowing the lingo or not fitting in with the middle class accents/hobbies/etc. And I feel like this really impacts my mental health and ability to feel accepted…"

This research is important because if mental health problems are more prevalent in FGS, or differ between FGS and CGS, support and interventions might need to be tailored accordingly. The Office for Students advises universities to consider the intersection between FGS status and mental health to improve their support. In addition, research shows that FGS drop out more and achieve less than their CGS peers. Does mental health play a part in this? 

Any final thoughts?

All students, irrespective of their backgrounds, should be supported to succeed at university.  There is evidence that FGS struggle emotionally (and academically) at UK universities - can we really claim that the aims of widening participation are being achieved if FGS arrive but don't thrive?

Support and helplines for anyone struggling

For mental health emergencies, please call 999 or go to A&E

For urgent mental health advice and support, please call your GP or NHS 111 (also available online at https://111.nhs.uk).  You can also access urgent local support via this link: https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/mental-health-services/where-to-get-urgent-help-for-mental-health/

For mental health support, please contact your university counselling or welfare services. You can also contact Student Minds by texting SHOUT to 85258 or emailing [email protected]

For a listening ear or someone to talk to, please call the Samaritans on 116 123 or email [email protected]. You can also access support via this link: https://www.samaritans.org/how-we-can-help/contact-samaritan

Further reading

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

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