The invisible problem? Improving students’ mental health

and doing things that I enjoyed, and they made me feel like I
belonged in Liverpool. 48
Student finance/debt
In one recent study, over 450 British undergraduate first-years
from across the UK completed measures of mental health
and financial variables – including family affluence, recent
financial difficulties and attitudes towards finances – on four
occasions during their first year. Standardised measures
were used, for example the seven item Generalised Anxiety
Disorder Assessment (GAD-7). Findings suggested that greater
financial difficulties predicted poorer mental health, including
greater likelihood of depression, stress, anxiety and alcohol
dependence over time.
Alcohol dependence and anxiety also predicted a worsening
financial situation, suggesting a bidirectional relationship and
the development of a vicious circle. 49
Workload
The 2016 HEPI / HEA Student Experience Survey found students
with between 30 and 39 hours of workload per week report
greater happiness, greater feelings that their lives are
worthwhile and less anxiety than others. For example, only 57
per cent of students with between one and 19 hours a week of
workload gave ratings of seven to 10 out of 10 for happiness.
The figure was 65 per cent for those with 30-39 hours a week,
and 62 per cent for those with above 50 hours.
www.hepi.ac.uk 27