Self-stigma in emerging adults with serious mental illness: Financial independence, self-esteem, and the "why try"...

Financial independence, an important developmental milestone of emerging adulthood (ages 18-29), is critical to independent functioning in life. Examining whether financial independence in emerging adults with serious mental illness (SMI) is associated with self-stigma may inform ways to support achieving this milestone. Financial independence was investigated as a mediator between self-stigma and two of its harmful outcomes, lower self-esteem, and an increased "why try" effect. The "why try" effect was defined as a sense of futility about achieving life goals due to self-stigma. Self-stigma was expected to be associated with less financial independence, and less financial independence was expected to be related to reduced self-esteem and an increased "why try" effect.

Emerging adult community mental health center clients who had an SMI (n = 239) were recruited to complete an electronic survey. Path analysis was used to analyze data.

Consistent with previous research, self-stigma was associated with decreased self-esteem and an increased "why try" effect. Financial independence was associated with higher self-esteem and, unexpectedly, with an increased "why try" effect. Contrary to past findings among adults, self-stigma was associated with increased financial independence. Two indirect associations through financial independence were observed between (a) self-stigma and self-esteem and (b) self-stigma and the "why try" effect.

Findings indicate that emerging adults with SMI may simultaneously experience self-stigma, financial independence, and the "why try" effect. Implications for psychiatric rehabilitation include increasing assistance with managing self-stigma among emerging adults with SMI pursuing financial independence. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).