Financial stress, and its associated negative health and academic outcomes, is a
serious concern for college students today. While the effects of stress have been welldocumented
by prior research, factors associated with financial stress among college
students have not been adequately explored. This study provides an exploratory
examination of financial stressors that are associated with increased likelihood of reporting
financial stress, as well as possible factors (e.g., financial self-efficacy) that could be
targeted to help students respond to financial stressors. Future research should use
experimental designs to test for causal relationships between the variables explored in this
study.