What Is the Relationship Between Mental Health and Academic Achievement Among Foster Youth in Higher Education?

Background and Purpose: Barriers to retention, persistence, and academic achievement among foster youth transitioning to adulthood through higher education is a concern for child welfare and student support service providers. This study explored the relationship between the mental health and academic achievement among former and current foster youth during their first-year experience at a four-year university; changes in mental health over this period were also examined. It was the hypothesis of this study that students with increased mental health problems would struggle academically; researchers were not clear on whether the mental health of this student population would change during their first year at a major university.

Methods: This study was a longitudinal panel study of 114 former and current foster youth attending four-year universities, primarily in southern California. Study participants were recruited with the assistance of child welfare and campus support programs in southern California. Utilizing the mental health inventory of the Medical Outcomes Study (Hays, Sherbourne, & Manzel, 1995), the emotional and psychological well-being of foster youth was assessed just prior to beginning their education at a four-year university and following completion of their first academic year. Educational outcomes, such as grade-point average and passing all courses attempted, were also measured at the end of the first academic year. Pearson correlations and independent- and paired-samples t tests were used to examine relationships among variables.

Results: Findings indicated a significant inverse relationship between psychological distress, depression, and grade-point average; feelings of belonging was also significantly positively correlated with this outcome. Following completion of the first academic year, former and current foster youth who failed to pass all courses attempted had significantly poorer measures of mental health, when compared to other students. Examining mental health over time for this student population indicated a significant increase in psychological distress (p = .042) and marginally significant changes in depression (p = .078) and positive affect (p = .052); however, for students who failed to pass all courses attempted, significant declines were reported on all mental health measures following completion of their first year at a major university.

Conclusions and Implications: This study provided empirical evidence demonstrating the mental health challenges of former and current foster youth attempting to successfully transition to adulthood through higher education. A significant proportion of youth who enter higher education suffer increased mental health problems during their first-year experience, which has a direct impact on their academic performance. Student health services and campus support programs should be proactive in providing behavioral health services and supports to this population upon entry and throughout their journey in higher education.