Assessment of Depression and Anxiety among Students on Financial Aid at Daystar University, Kenya

Abstract

Mental health challenges, such as depression and anxiety, among university students have become a growing global concern, with financial stress identified as a significant contributing factor. Financially aided students may face unique stressors that impact their mental health. This study assessed these challenges among students receiving financial aid at Daystar University, Kenya. Guided by an integrated theoretical framework of Beck's Cognitive Theory of Depression, Beck and Clark's Cognitive Theory of Anxiety and Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Systems Theory to provide comprehensive understanding of the relationships between financial aid status and mental health outcomes. The study pursued four objectives which were to: (1) assess the prevalence of depression among students on financial aid, (2) examine the prevalence of anxiety among this population, (3) explore the underlying causes of these mental health issues, and (4) establish the coping mechanisms employed by financially aided students. The study employed a mixed-method cross-sectional design. The target population was 600 students on financial aid. A sample of 100 participants was selected using stratified and simple random sampling from various financial aid programs including DUS Scholarship, Work-study Scholarship, Schefers Servant Leadership Loan Program, Vice Chancellor's Scholarship, Merit Scholarship, Writing and Speech Center Tutors, and One-time Scholarships. Data was collected using validated instruments including the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) for depression assessment and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) for anxiety evaluation, supplemented by semi-structured interviews. For analysis, quantitative data from the questionnaires were analyzed using SPSS, employing descriptive statistics (frequencies, means, standard deviations) and inferential tests (chi-square, t-tests) to determine relationships. Qualitative data from interviews underwent thematic analysis using NVivo.The study has revealed significant relationships between financial aid status and mental health outcomes which have provided actionable insights for university administrators, mental health professionals, and policymakers. The research has identified specific stressors unique to financially aided students and highlighted the importance of institutional support systems in promoting student mental health and academic success. This research has contributed to the limited body of knowledge on student mental health in the Kenyan context and provided evidence-based recommendations for developing holistic comprehensive support systems that address both the financial and psychological needs of this vulnerable student populations in higher education institutions.