Examining Associations between Mental Health Factors, Environmental Factors, and College Student Motivation

Abstract

Background: The study examined the associations between mental health factors and environmental factors and student motivation among Multiracial and White college students. There is a dearth of research that focuses on the Multiracial college student population. However, Multiracial individuals are the fastest growing racial demographic in the United States from 2010 to 2020. Mental health factors including depression, anxiety, and psychosocial stress, and environmental factors including sense of belonging and perceived discrimination were incorporated as independent variables. Hierarchal linear regression was used to test the associations of the mental health and environmental factors and student motivation. Multiracial students were the population of interest, and White students were used as a reference group. Additionally, Hierarchal linear regression with interactions were used to test the moderating role of race on the associations of the independent and dependent variables.

Methods: Data were collected using a cross-sectional survey design. Standardized measures including the University Student Motivation and Satisfaction Questionnaire version 2, PHQ-9, GAD-7, Perceived Stress Scale, Brief Perceived Ethnic Discrimination Questionnaire- Community Version (BPEDQ-CV), and the Sense of Belonging Scale were administered online. Quota and purposive sampling were used to recruit students for four public universities in one midwestern state. The sample consisted of Multiracial students (N =129) and White students (N = 181). The gender demographics were female (n = 77%), male (n = 17%), and LGBTQIA+ (n = 5%). A total of 90% of participants were middle class, working class, or lower-class students.

Results: The findings of the hierarchal linear regression analysis showed psychosocial stress and sense of belonging were significant predictors of student motivation. The hierarchal linear regression analysis with interactions showed that race had a significant moderating effect on the association of psychosocial stress and student motivation. Demographic variables including gender, university, economic class, and parental level of education were also utilized. The regression model showed students with parental figures with less than or equal to a college degree had higher motivation than students with parental figures who had graduate degrees.

Conclusions and Implications: The findings suggest that the student motivation of the Multiracial and White students of this study were not negatively associated with depression or anxiety. The student motivation of the students was positively associated with psychosocial stress and sense of belonging. Social work practice implications of these findings include the need of efforts by social workers to promote parental and faculty involvement for students, including first generation college and Multiracial college students, to work with university administrators to implement interventions to increase sense of belonging, and to implement interventions which promote stress management for Multiracial students. Future research should focus on comparing Multiracial students with racial/ethnic minority groups regarding the factors of this study and student motivation. Additionally, future research should be conducted in various geographical locations to compare findings with this research study.