Impact Of Financial Stress On Students Academic Achievement

Project and Seminar Material for Education

Abstract

Considering financial stress as a possible predictor of issues in academic and social functioning and satisfaction among undergraduate residential college students this work is on the impact of financial stress on students academic performance.

This study is to be carried out within Kaduna; it involves survey study of selected schools.
The population for this study includes the form teachers and principals from four Government secondary schools. From the data available from the ministry of education and from the schools directly the total number of the population is 80.

From the findings in the work, respondents strongly agreed that Parents’ financial status is a cause of financial stress among students, and that rising cost of academic materials is a cause of financial stress among students.
We have seen from the teachers’ perspective that No or low savings is a cause of financial stress among students. Another of the impacts of financial stress on students’ enrollment to schools is that it brings about low enrollment to schools and that students no longer complete their secondary education.

Chapter One

Introduction

1.1 Background to the Study

Student wellness is an important topic on college campuses nationwide as higher education and student life administrators are becoming increasingly concerned with stress among students. Given that stress has been shown to negatively impact student persistence (Letkiewicz, in press), increased scrutiny of graduation rates from federal and state governments should motivate administrators to understand the causes of stress among students. More specifically, stress resulting from personal financial difficulties is worth exploring in more detail given the challenge college students and recent graduates face regarding the growing burden of student loans.

The institutional environment surrounding the college education decision has changed dramatically – grants and other forms of aid have not kept pace with the rapid increase in tuition (College Board, 2011; Draut, 2007). As a result, students are relying more heavily on student loans in order to pay for their education (Draut, 2007). “Working your way through college” is no longer realistic since tuition has increased more rapidly than inflation for the last few decades.

Research regarding sources of stress confirms the influential role that personal financial problems play in the lives of college students. Financial difficulties are often cited among college students as sources of stress (Northern, O’Brien, & Goetz, 2010)

can also include psychological or emotional effects (Northern et al., 2010). Much of the literature on financial stress has focused on stress outcomes. Research has documented the following negative outcomes of financial stress: (a) depression (Andrews & Wilding, 2004; Clark-Lempers, Lempers, & Netusil, 1990), (b) anxiety (Andrews & Wilding, 2004), (c) poor academic performance (Andrews & Wilding, 2004; Harding, 2011), (d) poor health (Northern et al., 2010), and (e) difficulty persisting towards degree completion (Letkiewicz, in press; Joo, Durband, & Grable, 2008; Robb, Moody, & Abdel-Ghany, 2011). Other research has focused on coping behavior of financially-stressed students, such as seeking help (Britt et al., 2011; Lim, Heckman, Letkiewicz, Fox, & Montalto, 2012). Hayhoe, Leach, Turner, Bruin, and Lawrence (2000) examined spending habit differences among college students and included financial stress as a variable in their model.

Financial stress was measured by summing the number of positive responses to seven financial stressors, such as “not able to save for an emergency” and “not able to pay utilities.” Hayhoe et al. (2000) found that the number of good financial behaviors was negatively associated with number of financial stressors. Very few studies have examined factors related to the likelihood of reporting financial stress. Brougham, Zail, Mendoza, and Miller (2009) examined different sources of stress, including academics, financial, family, social, and daily hassles, but the primary focus of their study was to identify coping behavior among students. They found that college students were more likely to report financial stress than college men (Brougham et al., 2009).

Anticipated debt has also been shown to be a strong predictor of financial stress among medical students (Morra, Regehr, & Ginsburg, 2008). Archuleta, Dale, and Spann (2013) found that among college students, higher levels of financial satisfaction were significantly and negatively related to financial anxiety. As discussed by Northern et al. (2010), some researchers have used financial data exclusively to measure financial stress. While being unable to pay bills and other financial difficulties may indeed produce stress, there are important psychological aspects of stress that may be missed when using financial data alone (Northern et al., 2010). Being unable to pay bills on time may plausibly be a stressful event for one student, but not for another student. Stress is certainly a complex construct, but the differences in measurement of financial stress are likely a result of a lack of theory-based research. Many of the studies mentioned above do not include an explanation of the theoretical framework used to investigate issues related to financial stress.

a review of studies on financial related issues and college students (Joo, Durband & Grable, 2008; Kadison & DiGeronimo, 2004; Robb, 2011) provided some background information on the topic; however, there seems to be a lack of current research focused on this area of concern. search for studies specific to undergraduate residential college students produced results mainly focused on interpersonal relationship issues and maladaptive coping and so did not yield as much as I had hoped existed specific to my research question and sub-questions. A few studies specific to nonwhite residential college students focused on socioeconomic, acculturation stressors, academic preparedness and the impact of stress on students in general also informed my research question(Crockett et al., 2007; Matlin, Molock, and Tebes, 2011).

Considering financial stress as a possible predictor of issues in academic and social functioning and satisfaction among undergraduate residential college students, this chapter presents a review of literature related to research on financial stress in the general population as well as literature specific to the undergraduate college population. Studies on issues in college student’s academic and social functioning and satisfaction, retention rates, and support networks including familial support, peer support, community, and professional support are also reviewed. In this study, financial stress was examined as the independent variable impacting two dependent variables: 1) academic functioning and satisfaction, and 2) social functioning and satisfaction associated with undergraduate student’s success in college.

To investigate the relationship between the independent variable and the two dependent variables, I asked the following: What is the relationship between financial stress and academic and social functioning and satisfaction in undergraduate residential college students’s experiences? Moreover, what are undergraduate residential colleges students’s attitudes about seeking professional help with issues related to financial stress and their academic and social functioning, including help from college counseling centers, the college’s financial aid office, and other on and off campus resources?

Further, do undergraduate residential college students identify their academic and social functioning and satisfaction as related to financial stress? Hence, this literature review is intended to provide a basic knowledge base of the context within which financial stress, academic functioning and satisfaction, and social functioning and satisfaction are interconnected as possible predictors of undergraduate residential college success.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

Academic success depends on a variety of factors and these factors can have both a positive and/or negative influence on a child’s ability to stay motivated and succeed in school. For children living in high-poverty, urban environments, there are increased challenges when it comes to succeeding in school (Murray & Malmgren, 2005). Numerous research investigations summarize the challenges faced by students growing up in high-poverty urban settings.

These investigations highlight the challenges posed by high rates of home and neighborhood violence and crime, increased levels of mental illness, poor-quality schools, and multiple family stressors that potentially interfere with children’s adjustment and success in school as well as in other aspects of their lives. Despite these challenges, some children are resilient and overcome the negative circumstances exposed to or trusted upon them. This study however is majorly on the challenges of financial stress and its impact on students’ academic achievement.

1.3 Objective of the Study

The main objective of this study is to investigate the effect of proper and effective class management on teaching and learning process, specifically the study intends to:

Identify the causes of financial stress among students
Find out the impacts of financial stress on students enrollment to schools
Find out the effects of financial stress on the academic performance of students

1.4 Research Questions

The following research questions was formulated to guide this research arrive at a valid conclusion:

What are the causes of financial stress among students
What is the impacts of financial stress on students enrollment to schools
What are the effects of financial stress on the academic performance of students
What can be done to solve the problem of financial stress among students

1.5 Significance of the Study

This study will expose the government at various level, stakeholders involve in education policies, teachers, school management on the challenges of financial stress on students’ academic performance and help proffer some real life solutions,. And finally this projects will serve as reference for others who wants to embark on the same research.

1.6 Scope and Limitations of the Study

This work is on the impact of financial stress on students’ academic achievements. This study is to be carried out within Kaduna; it involves survey study of selected schools.

1.7 Definition of Terms

Finance:

Finance is the avenue through which students’ bills are paid. If their finances are not adequate, the situation may tend to affect their academic performance adversely. If, on the other hand, their financial needs are met adequately, probably their academic performance may be enhanced.

Academic Performance:

Academic performance is defined or regarded as participants ‘examination grades at the end of a given duration (term, semester, and programme). It could also be seen as the level of performance in a particular field of study. Higher scores indicate better academic performance

Tuition fee:

The charge or fee for instruction, as at a private school or a college or university.

Chapter Five

Summary, Conclusion and Recommendations

5.1 Summary of the Study

The purpose of the study was to investigate the impact of financial stress on students’ academic achievement. This chapter covers summary, conclusions and recommendations based on the study findings and suggestions for further researchers.

Our focus has been to examine the impact of financial stress on students. The study was divided into five chapters. In the first chapter, we stated the problem of the study and its objectives. In the second chapter, we reviewed literatures.

In the third chapter, we described the methodology employed or adopted to arrive at the study’s findings. In the fourth chapter, we the postulated research questions.

5.2 Conclusion and Recommendations

From the findings in the previous chapter, respondents strongly agreed that Parents’ financial status is a cause of financial stress among students, and that rising cost of academic materials is a cause of financial stress among students.

We have seen from the teachers’ perspective that No or low savings is a cause of financial stress among students. Another of the impacts of financial stress on students’ enrollment to schools is that it brings about low enrollment to schools and that students no longer complete their secondary education.

The total population strongly agreed that students engage in hawking and petty trading which takes away school time, Poor understanding due to skipped classes is an effect of financial stress on the academic performance of students and that Lack of interest in learning is another effect of financial stress on the academic performance of students.

Finally poor results are also a result financial stress on the academic performance of students and another effect of financial stress on the academic performance of students is Lack concentration.

From conclusions above the following recommendations are given:

The introduction of free and qualitative education by the state Government.
The introduction and sustenance of school feeding program.
The introduction of more extra-curricular activities to make students interested in schooling.

Project Material Download