Mental Health and Mattering in UK University Students: A Comparison Between Continuing-Generation Students and First-Generation Students

The prevalence of poor mental health in university students is extremely concerning, and first-generation students (FGSs) may be more vulnerable to mental health problems than continuing-generation students (CGSs). Existing international research demonstrates that higher levels of mattering (how significant we feel we are to others) and lower levels of anti-mattering (how insignificant we feel we are to others) are associated with lower levels of mental health problems in university students, but this has not been investigated in the UK. This study aimed to investigate mental health problems and mattering in UK university students, comparing CGSs and FGSs. Students aged 18 or over from any university in the UK (N = 242; CGSs n = 124; FGSs n = 114) completed an online questionnaire containing measures of mental health problems (depression, eating concerns, substance use, generalised anxiety, frustration/anger, social anxiety, family distress, academic distress, total distress) and mattering (general mattering, anti-mattering, university mattering). The results showed that there were no statistically significant differences in levels of mental health problems and mattering between CGSs and FGSs. However, mattering appears to matter more for FGSs than CGSs: higher levels of mattering (general and university) and lower levels of anti-mattering were statistically significantly associated with lower levels of mental health problems for all students, but particularly for FGSs. The implications of these results are that mattering has potential as a basis for strategies and interventions to improve mental health in university students. Universities must consider how to increase mattering in their students, and more research in this area is urgently required.