Cristina Virlan

Numbers with a Narrative: Understanding First-Generation Women’s Mental Health Through Longitudinal Survey Responses

Mentor: Colleen Conley  

First-generation women (FGCW) face unique challenges during the transition to higher education due to intersecting academic, financial, cultural, and family-related pressures. These factors may put them at an elevated risk for psychological distress compared to continuing-generation college women (CGCW), yet little research has been done to examine how the mental health of FGCW changes over time during college. This project uses a multi-cohort longitudinal dataset of undergraduate students (N = 212 first-generation women, N = 1,536 continuing-generation women) from a private Midwestern university to examine mental health trends from college entry through the first 2 years. The study explores differences in baseline psychological distress and well-being of FGCW compared to CGCW. It also compares psychological wellbeing, distress, and college-related stress across time to explore patterns of change, group differences, and vulnerable periods where students face the most challenges. By identifying differences in baseline distress and patterns of change over time, this project aims to clarify if any risk factors specific to FGCW exist within this sample.