Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
European Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Therapies Congress, Glasgow, İngiltere, 3 - 06 Eylül 2025, ss.52-53, (Özet Bildiri)
The current economic crisis in Turkey, coupled with a high inflation rate, has adversely affected the future aspirations of Turkish emerging adults. Recent surveys indicate that the majority of individuals aged 18 to 30 experience heightened levels of hopelessness and anxiety about their future. Although financial struggles, poor work conditions, and unemployment are commonly cited as key concerns of this population, and there is a well-documented link between financial hardship and mental health, limited research has specifically explored this relationship among Turkish emerging adults, particularly in light of the unique economic pressures they face today. The present study aimed to fill this gap by examining how financial strain impacts anxiety, depression, and life satisfaction, with a focus on the mediating role of hopelessness and the moderating role of future anxiety. The study recruited 308 Turkish emerging adults (M = 23.06, SD = 1.51) via social media and word of mouth. Most participants were female (64.9%), and a significant proportion (72.4%) were students, while the rest were either working part-time or unemployed. Participants were either undergraduate seniors or recent graduates not engaged in full-time work or further education. This group was chosen to represent a particularly vulnerable population that experiences the uncertainty of a transition from education to the labor market. They completed a 15-minute online survey measuring subjective and objective financial strain, hopelessness, future anxiety, depression, anxiety, life satisfaction, and demographics. The findings demonstrated a significant association of subjective financial strain with poorer mental health outcomes. Participants who reported greater subjective financial strain had significantly higher levels of depression and anxiety, as well as lower life satisfaction. Also, analyses showed that subjective financial strain plays a more critical role in their mental health than objective measures of financial status (i.e., debt, savings, and assets). In line with our expectations, hopelessness emerged as a key mediator in these relationships. Participants experiencing higher subjective financial strain also reported greater hopelessness, which in turn contributed to their elevated levels of depression and anxiety, alongside lower life satisfaction. Furthermore, future anxiety moderated the effects of subjective financial strain on mental health outcomes. Individuals with higher levels of future anxiety were more vulnerable to the negative consequences of subjective financial strain, particularly in terms of depression and anxiety. These findings provide important insights into the mental health challenges faced by Turkish emerging adults during a period of economic crisis. They underscore the need for targeted prevention and interventions to mitigate the impact of economic challenges on mental health during this critical life stage. Future studies can also address hopelessness and future anxiety as crucial components in mitigating the psychological impacts of financial difficulties. Clinical implications and methodological suggestions for future studies are discussed in more detail.