The mental health status of single-parent community college students in California.

Single-parenting students face unique challenges that may adversely affect their mental health, which have not been explored in community college settings.

OBJECTIVE:
The authors conducted secondary analysis of Spring 2013 data from the American College Health Association-National College Health Assessment to examine difficulties facing single-parent community college students and the association between single parenting and negative mental health (depression, self-injury, suicide attempt).

PARTICIPANTS:
Participants were 6,832 California community college students, of whom 309 were single parents.

METHODS:
Demographic and mental health data were characterized using univariate descriptive analyses. Bivariate analyses determined whether single parents differed from other students regarding negative mental health or traumatic/difficult events.

RESULTS:
Finances, family, and relationship difficulties disproportionally affected single parents, who reported nearly twice as many suicide attempts as their counterparts (5.3% vs. 2.7%; p < .0001).

CONCLUSIONS:
Single-parenting students face a higher prevalence of mental health stressors than other community college students.