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Both financial anxiety and first-generation student status have been linked to negative academic outcomes, mental health issues, and poor social adjustment among college students; however, each factor has been studied in isolation. This article examines the predictors of financial anxiety, including generational status, using the Roy Adaptation Model and ordinary least squares (OLS) regression analysis on data from a large, Midwestern public university. First-generation student status was positively associated with financial anxiety in multivariate modeling. Proxies for students' self-concepts, including financial comparisons to peers and perceived mastery, had the largest contribution to the model. Financial counseling programs geared toward first-generation college students may impact their self-concepts and reduce financial anxiety.

This study examined a sample of 2,475 undergraduate students to determine the influence of financial stress, debt loads, and financial counseling on retention rates. Results indicate, among other findings, that financial stress contributes to an increased likelihood of discontinuing college. Self-reported student loan debt contributes to an increased likelihood of discontinuing college, although students with the highest amount of university-reported student loan debt have a decreased likelihood of discontinuing college one year later as compared to students with no student loan debt. Interestingly, in this study students who sought financial counseling were more likely to discontinue college within the next year. Although this contradicts prior studies that have shown that students experience less financial stress immediately after meeting with a peer counselor and for two months later, it is suggested that the timing of the counseling may be an important factor. Implications for practice include early intervention for students who are self funding their education, who are under high financial stress, or have a perception of high student loan debt. At the campus level, financial aid professionals should collaborate with personal finance researchers to better understand how financial stress and student debt relate to retention.

The impact of financial stress on college students can range from psychological distress to adverse academic outcomes. The purpose of this study was to identify how resources and perceptions alter the amount of financial stress felt by college students and how this relates to academic achievement. Results from 2,236 Midwestern college students indicate that financial and life stressors, higher subjective financial knowledge, fewer financial resources, negative perceptions, and lower mastery are associated with higher financial stress. Financial stress was not associated with academic achievement, but financial stressors, objective financial knowledge, and financial resources were highly related to financial stress. Increasing available financial resources to students, in addition to providing opportunities to increase financial knowledge for students, would likely be associated with decreased stress and better academic achievement.

This study had two distinct purposes. First, to determine the predictors of financial stress among college students who sought free peer-based financial counseling from a large Midwestern university (N = 675). Secondly, to determine the effectiveness of the particular financial counseling center from a subsample of those who sought help (N = 97). Results of the regression analysis indicate that students more likely to experience financial stress include freshmen, those with low perceived mastery and net worth, and those with median student loan debt as compared to those with no student loan debt. Results of t-test analyses suggest that financial counseling had positive effects on subjective financial knowledge and financial attitudes and mixed effects on financial behaviors.

College students and military populations can have many similar yet very different characteristics related to their financial lives. Using social learning theory, this study examined factors that influence financial behavior outcomes of both populations using primary data. Findings indicate past behaviors and some personal factors play a significant role in financial behaviors. The most explanatory concept was that of past behaviors, which revealed those respondents with no credit card debt had better financial behaviors than respondents with credit card debt. Soldiers and college students with higher levels of subjective financial knowledge, higher feelings of self-mastery, and lower financial anxiety reported more positive financial behaviors. These findings underscore that college students and soldiers are struggling with similar financial issues despite differences in their lives. This research has implications for financial planners and service providers to understand a client's past behaviors and personal factors in order to provide better financial advice and recommendations.

Finances are frequently cited by college administrators as a top cause of college student stress and drop out. Positive financial behaviors can help prevent financial stress and possibly help with college student retention rates. According to past research, financial behaviors can be predicted based on certain demographic characteristics, resource availability, and financial knowledge. One of the gaps in the literature revolves around the impact that anxiety plays in positive and negative financial behaviors. Students who are anxious are sure to be experiencing a high degree of stress. Using primary data collected from students attending a large Midwestern university, results indicate that anxiety has a significant effect on three financial behaviors. Implications suggest that college financial counseling and mental health programs collaborate to provide holistic services to students which may help to retain students due to financial stress and anxiety.

Data on psychological influences of financial behaviors has not been well addressed in student populations, which is concerning given the high levels of general and financial stress experienced by college students. The findings of this study indicate that college students with an external locus of control exhibit the worst financial behaviors. Male students and students who grew up with wealthier parents exhibit better financial behaviors. Black and Hispanic students exhibit slightly worse financial behaviors than other students. Students who receive work study, do not receive military-based education assistance, never attend religious ceremonies, or feel that religion is not very important were more likely to report an external locus of control. Identification of financially at-risk students is imperative given the high dropout rates among college students. This study provides a profile of at-risk students that can be used in developing targeted financial services on college campuses.

Using longitudinal data from the National Survey of Families and Households and both wife- and husband-reported data (N = 4,574 couples), this study examined how financial well-being, financial disagreements, and perceptions of financial inequity were associated with the likelihood of divorce. When financial disagreements were in the model, financial well-being was not associated with divorce. Both wives' and husbands' financial disagreements were the strongest disagreement types to predict divorce. Mediators derived from systems theory (conflict tactics) and social exchange theory (marital satisfaction) fully mediated the association between financial disagreement and the hazard of divorce. Finally, financial disagreements fully mediated the association between perceptions of financial inequity and divorce. These findings suggest that financial disagreements are stronger predictors of divorce relative to other common marital disagreements. They further suggest that financial disagreements (e.g., "content") are associated with marital process. (Contains 4 tables.)

This paper describes why it is important for financial service advisors to understand how client stress impacts the client-financial advisor relationship. A key finding is that few clients are able to accurately evaluate their level of financial stress. It was determined that less than one out of five prospective clients are able to identify their stress level accurately. This means that only about 20% of prospective clients are cognitively receptive to receiving and implementing financial recommendations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Financial satisfaction is tested to determine if it can be used to distinguish those who had considered getting a divorce from those who had not during the past three years. Other factors that can be used to predict the probability of thinking about a divorce include difference in couples' ages, the age of a partner, self-esteem, and employment characteristics of the couple.