College Students and Financial Distress: Exploring Debt, Financial Satisfaction, and Financial Anxiety.

50 Introduction Financial mental health has recently become a growing topic of interest among researchers. However, practitioners have long been encountering clients who have financial problems that impact their cognitive, emotional, and relational well-being. The most recent research on the topic of financial mental health has been related to financial disorders and money scripts (Klontz, Britt, Archuleta, & Klontz, 2012; Klontz, Britt, Mentzer, & Klontz, 2011; Klontz, Kahler, & Klontz, 2008). Financial disorders that have been identified to date include: a) financial enabling, b) compulsive buying disorder, c) compulsive hoarding, d) pathological gambling, e) workaholism, f) financial dependence, g) financial infidelity, and h) financial enmeshment (Klontz et al., 2008; Klontz et al., 2011). Financial stress and anxiety can also be seen as aspects of financial mental health. Although sparse, research has linked financial stress and anxiety with college student debt (Grable & Joo, 2006; Joo, Grable, & Bagwell, 2003; Norvilitis et al., 2006; Perna, 2008). The current study explained the existing literature related to students’ financial mental health. More specifically, the purpose of the study was to explore the associations of students’ financial anxiety, in particular the influence of debt. College Students and Financial Distress: Exploring Debt, Financial Satisfaction, and Financial Anxiety