Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41661691›Full record

ArticlePLOS mental health2024

The mental health of parent versus non-parent post-secondary students.

Katie J Shillington, Julia Yates, Tara Mantler, Jennifer D Irwin

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in PLOS mental health, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Katie J ShillingtonFaculty of Health Sciences, Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1363-8778
Julia YatesFaculty of Health Sciences, Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.
Tara MantlerFaculty of Health Sciences, Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.
Jennifer D IrwinFaculty of Health Sciences, Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Post-secondary students experience abnormally high levels of stress compared to the general population, and parents pursuing post-secondary education have additional demands that challenge their mental health. Understanding the mental health of parent versus non-parent students is imperative to support students in their academic pursuits. The purpose of this mixed-methods, cross-sectional paper was two-fold: (1) to investigate the mental health (flourishing/languishing) of parents pursuing post-secondary education in Ontario, Canada with children/youth aged 0-18 years compared to non-parent post-secondary students; and (2) to explore parents' and non-parents' lived experiences of mental health (flourishing/languishing) while pursuing post-secondary education. A total of 374 students (n = 86 parents; n = 288 non-parents) completed an online survey that included demographics and the previously validated Mental Health Continuum-Short Form. A subset of participants (n = 10 parents; n = 10 non-parents) participated in one of six focus groups (3 parent focus groups; 3 non-parent focus groups). Results from the independent sample t-tests indicated no significant differences between the overall mental health scores. Thematic analysis revealed 4 themes for student-parents: (1) factors that challenge mental health; (2) realities of being a student-parent; (3) social connectivity among family and friends; and (4) mental health fluctuations. A total of 6 non-parent specific themes were found: (1) social connectivity among peers; (2) factors that challenge mental health; (3) the bidirectional relationship between school and mental health status; (4) prioritizing academic roles; (5) finding purpose through academic pursuits; and (6) admiration for student-parents. Findings from the current study highlight the dichotomy in student-parent versus non-parent academic identities and are important for university personnel to understand to provide tailored supports.

Identifiers

PMID41661691
PMCPMC12798575

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.