Psychological Distress Among Finnish Higher Education Students with Disabilities During COVID-19: Financial Situation, Study Workload, and Loneliness as Mediators

The COVID-19 pandemic weakened students’ financial situation and increased loneliness and study workload, possibly impacting their mental health. Limited research exists regarding psychological distress and the factors associated with it among students with disabilities. We analyzed cross-sectional population-based data from the Finnish Student Health and Wellbeing Survey among higher education students (n = 6,258; age 18–34) in 2021. We used regression analyses to investigate whether students with severe or moderate disabilities reported more psychological distress than students without disabilities. Structural equation modeling was used to examine whether a weakened financial situation, increased study workload, and increased loneliness mediated differences in distress during the COVID-19 pandemic. Results revealed that students with disabilities reported more significant distress and weakened financial situations, an increased study workload, and increased loneliness more often than students without disabilities; those with severe disabilities were the most vulnerable. Weakened financial situations, increased loneliness, and study workload accounted for about 21% of the associations between disability and distress, indicating partial mediation. Therefore, targeted social policy measures, educational resources, and social support are needed to improve finances, prevent excessive study workload, and reduce loneliness during the crises. Our results suggest that these actions may decrease mental health inequalities.