"First, Not Fragile": Protective Factors Against Psychological Distress and Alcohol Misuse in First-Generation College Students
Location
SU-214
Start Date
1-5-2026 11:20 AM
Department
Psychology
Abstract
First-generation college students (FGCSs) are students whose parents did not graduate with a four-year college degree (Redford et al., 2017). Compared to continuing-generation students (CGSs), FGCSs tend to experience higher financial stress, more personal and familial responsibilities, and lower academic achievement (Redford et al., 2017). These stressors are typically associated with poor mental health and substance use (Khantzian, 1997). However, most recent research shows that FGCSs report similar levels of psychological distress and similar or even less severe alcohol misuse, suggesting that they are resilient in the face of their challenges (Muñoz, 2023; Rockwell & Kimmel, 2023). Resilience and flourishing are two psychological factors describing the ability to adapt to stress and feel meaning in life, which are both correlated with increased mental health and lowered substance use (Keyes et al., 2010; Parker et al., 2018). Thus, the present study hypothesized that FGCSs would report higher resilience and flourishing than CGSs and that these variables would be associated with lower psychological distress and alcohol misuse. This was investigated through secondary data analysis of the 2024-25 Healthy Minds Study, a nationally representative sample of 84,736 college students. FGCSs reported lower levels of alcohol misuse than CGSs, but also higher depression, higher anxiety, lower resilience, and lower flourishing. These differences were marginal in magnitude (i.e., effect sizes measured by Cohen’s d < .20). Further, resilience and flourishing were strongly associated with lower depression and lower anxiety (all p’s < .001), but were not significantly associated with alcohol misuse. These relationships applied to both FGCSs and CGSs. These data align with prior research challenging deficit-based assumptions about the mental and behavioral health of FGCSs and highlight the importance of resilience and flourishing as broad protective factors against psychological distress. Future work should investigate interventions aimed at cultivating resilience and flourishing in higher education, as their benefits to mental health appear to transcend college generations.
Faculty Sponsor
Alvin David Farmer
"First, Not Fragile": Protective Factors Against Psychological Distress and Alcohol Misuse in First-Generation College Students
SU-214
First-generation college students (FGCSs) are students whose parents did not graduate with a four-year college degree (Redford et al., 2017). Compared to continuing-generation students (CGSs), FGCSs tend to experience higher financial stress, more personal and familial responsibilities, and lower academic achievement (Redford et al., 2017). These stressors are typically associated with poor mental health and substance use (Khantzian, 1997). However, most recent research shows that FGCSs report similar levels of psychological distress and similar or even less severe alcohol misuse, suggesting that they are resilient in the face of their challenges (Muñoz, 2023; Rockwell & Kimmel, 2023). Resilience and flourishing are two psychological factors describing the ability to adapt to stress and feel meaning in life, which are both correlated with increased mental health and lowered substance use (Keyes et al., 2010; Parker et al., 2018). Thus, the present study hypothesized that FGCSs would report higher resilience and flourishing than CGSs and that these variables would be associated with lower psychological distress and alcohol misuse. This was investigated through secondary data analysis of the 2024-25 Healthy Minds Study, a nationally representative sample of 84,736 college students. FGCSs reported lower levels of alcohol misuse than CGSs, but also higher depression, higher anxiety, lower resilience, and lower flourishing. These differences were marginal in magnitude (i.e., effect sizes measured by Cohen’s d < .20). Further, resilience and flourishing were strongly associated with lower depression and lower anxiety (all p’s < .001), but were not significantly associated with alcohol misuse. These relationships applied to both FGCSs and CGSs. These data align with prior research challenging deficit-based assumptions about the mental and behavioral health of FGCSs and highlight the importance of resilience and flourishing as broad protective factors against psychological distress. Future work should investigate interventions aimed at cultivating resilience and flourishing in higher education, as their benefits to mental health appear to transcend college generations.