Children placed with kinship foster parents can experience less disruption and stronger family ties than children in non-kinship placements. However, financial hardship can restrict kinship caregivers from taking in relatives’ children. This study investigated (1) kinship caregivers’ financial standing compared to a national subsample of caregivers and (2) whether certain factors moderate the likelihood that a kinship caregiver will be able to provide care for additional non-relative children without additional financial assistance from the Department of Social Services (DSS). This study utilized primary data from 345 relatives across North Carolina and nationally representative secondary data on 6394 individuals’ financial circumstances. One-sample t-tests and chi-square goodness-of-fit tests revealed that caregivers who participated in our study generally fared better financially than caregivers at the national level. Model-based recursive partitioning results showed that if an additional child is placed in the home, the caregiver’s perceived capacity to provide care without extra DSS support decreased by approximately 19%, with a greater decrease (35%) among a subgroup of caregivers with low financial well-being status. The heterogeneity in caregivers’ experiences, capacities, and financial needs buttresses the need for nuanced interventions and programs targeting these caregivers, enabling them to provide more stable care for children placed in their homes.

Introduction/problem Anxiety disorders are increasingly prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Limited data exist on factors contributing to anxiety, particularly among final year junior high school (JHS) students in Ghana preparing for the Basic Education Certificate Exam (BECE). Purpose This study aimed to investigate the factors influencing anxiety levels among final year JHS students in Ghana, focusing on hunger, parental support, sleep duration, co-occurring mental health concerns, gender, and other variables. Methods A sample of 394 final year JHS students in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana was surveyed using established measures for anxiety, sleep duration, parental support, hunger, substance use, and mental health concerns. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to explore the relationships between these variables and anxiety levels among students. Key findings The study revealed a high prevalence of anxiety among final year JHS students, with 71.4% exhibiting symptoms above the chronic anxiety cut-off point. Significant factors associated with anxiety included hunger, living with a single parent, and co-occurring mental health concerns. Age, gender, access to school counseling, school type, and substance use showed no significant associations with anxiety. Conclusions/implications The findings underscore the need for a comprehensive approach to addressing anxiety among final year JHS students, considering socio-economic factors, family dynamics, and mental health support. Stakeholders can use these insights to develop targeted interventions that promote mental well-being and academic success. Recommendations Enhancing access to mental health services, addressing socio-economic disparities, providing support for students from single-parent households, and integrating mental health education into school curricula are recommended.

Financial stability plays a crucial role in individuals' mental well-being, with emerging evidence suggesting a complex relationship between financial factors and depression. This study addresses three fundamental questions: (1) what is the relationship between financial stability and depression? (2) to what extent is the relationship mediated by financial hardship? and (3) do these possible relationships differ by adolescents' age and gender? A structural equation modeling (SEM) was conducted to examine the relationship between finance and depression using four variables: family income, diversified savings, financial hardship, and depression. The measurement of variables and structural models χ²/df ratio < 1; root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) ≤ 0.09, and the comparative fit index (CFI) and the Tucker-Lewis index (TLI) > 0.90 were deemed acceptable. Invariance testing was also performed to assess if the structural model differed significantly based on respondents' age group. The findings indicate that high school students living in households with higher-than-average income have lower perceived financial hardship than those from lower-than-average income households (β = -0.25, p < .001, SE = 0.05, R² = 0.06). Perceived financial hardship positively predicts depression (β = 0.38, p < .001, SE = 0.05, R² = 0.14). Also, the inverse indirect connection between diversified savings and depression, through the intervening role of financial hardship, trended in the expected direction. The indirect and direct pathways from financial situation to depression, as evidenced in the study, point to the need for a multifaceted approach to understanding and resolving depression. Additionally, it accentuates the potential role of financial capability in addressing mental health.