About this srcd poster session

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Panel information
Panel 6. Developmental Psychopathology

Abstract

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First-generation college students, or students whose parents did not attend or graduate college, face unique challenges compared to their non-first-generation peers. Indeed, research has shown that first-generation college students may experience higher levels of psychological, financial, social, and academic stress. For example, first-generation college students might experience higher levels of depression and anxiety (Lipson et al., 2023). While there is an abundance of research on improving academic outcomes of first-generation college students, less is known about the role of grit, growth mindset, and learned helplessness in affecting first-generation college students’ mental health. Grit is defined as the perseverance and passion toward achieving long-term goals (Duckworth et al., 2007). In the academic community, the idea that knowledge is achieved through effort is referred to as a growth mindset, defined as the belief that knowledge can be obtained through effort and is malleable throughout an individual’s lifetime (Ng, 2018). Both grit and growth mindset have been demonstrated that they are closely related to individual’s resilience to learning challenges and advert experiences (Stoffel & Cain., 2018; Yeager & Dweck., 2012). Finally, learned helplessness is the belief that an individual lacks the ability to cope with challenges and adversity (Ahmad & Uzair-ul-Hassan, 2024). These factors are particularly significant because they play integral roles in day-to-day life, impacting mental health in a multitude of ways and have increased impacts as individuals move through life changes. Therefore, in the present study, the roles of grit, growth mindset, and learned helplessness will be examined using a multiple regression model regarding the mental health of first-generation college students, operationalized by depression and anxiety, with the aim to elucidate the unique relations between these psychological constructs.

METHOD: This study recruited first-generation college students in the Fargo-Moorhead area to participate in a larger study examining their context and well-being. Using Qualtrics, students reported on their grit, growth mindset, learned helplessness, and mental health amongst other constructs not examined in this study via a 6-point Likert scale. Participants included 175 first-generation college students (age 18-43 years, M=23.32; SD=0.480). Majority of participants were women (64.9%) and majority of participants were born in the U.S. (58.3%). The sample studied included undergraduate first-year students (18.3%), sophomores (16.0%), juniors (24.6%), seniors (8.0%), undergraduate fifth-year students (2.3%), and graduate students (30.3%).

RESULTS & DISCUSSION: All analyses were conducted using IBM SPSS. Results indicated that while grit and learned helplessness were significantly associated with depression and anxiety, growth mindset did not exhibit a significant relationship with mental health outcomes (see Figure 1). Specifically, students who reported higher levels of grit also reported higher levels of depression and anxiety. Similarly, students who reported higher levels of learned helplessness tendencies also reported higher levels of depression and anxiety. These findings underscore the importance of cultivating grit and addressing maladaptive cognitive patterns, such as learned helplessness, in mitigating depression and anxiety. Implications for intervention and prevention strategies are discussed, emphasizing the potential role of enhancing grit and combating learned helplessness in promoting mental well-being in first-generation college students.

Author information

Author	Role
A.J. Colletti, North Dakota State University	Presenting author
Carmen Kho, North Dakota State University	Non-presenting author
Wen Wang, North Dakota State University	Non-presenting author

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