Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 28, 2026

A Modified Trier Social Stress Test for Vulnerable Mexican American Adolescents
Published on: July 10, 2017
Beyond debt. A moderator analysis of the relationship between perceived financial strain and mental health
1Institute of Education and Psychology, Johannes Kepler University of Linz, Altenbergerstrasse 69, Linz, Austria. eva.selenko@jku.at
Abstract:
Heavy debt not only has economic consequences, but has also been related to severe psychological and physical distress. The present study investigates the relationship between perceived financial strain and mental health, and individual-level variables that moderate this relationship. Specifically it was expected that employment, access to the latent benefits of work, and self-efficacy would buffer the relationship between perceived financial strain and mental health. In a 2009 study conducted in Austria, among 106 people on the verge of bankruptcy, perceived financial strain appeared as the strongest predictor of distress. This effect was moderated by two out of five latent benefits of work and self-efficacy, but employment status failed to have a significant effect. The findings show the importance of subjective economic stress for the prediction of mental health among people in serious financial strain and indicate significant moderators of this relationship.
Related Concept Videos
Stress and Mental Health
Individuals with depression often experience challenges in both their personal and professional...
Self-Discrepancy and Its Effects
Psychological Responses to Stress
Self-Discrepancy Theory
Stress Prevention and Stress Management Techniques VI
Motivation and Self-Determination
Motivation, the driving force behind behavior, plays a pivotal role at every stage of the change process. The research...
Factors Affecting Perception
An illustrative example of a perceptual set is the scenario where an airline pilot told...