{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,14]],"date-time":"2026-10-14T18:31:53Z","timestamp":1792002713007,"version":"4.4.0"},"reference-count":47,"publisher":"Public Library of Science (PLoS)","issue":"4","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,2]],"date-time":"2026-04-02T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1775088000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100001322","name":"SAMRC","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","award":["Flagship-002"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["Flagship-002"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100001322","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"crossref"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["www.plosmentalhealth.org"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["PLOS Ment Health"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Existing literature, primarily from high-income countries, highlights the first year of higher education as a challenging period for students. Academic demands, family expectations, social pressures, and relational difficulties are commonly associated with increased psychological distress during this time. In South Africa, research is mostly quantitative, lacking qualitative insights into the nuanced drivers of distress among first-year students, particularly young, female, and Black-African students. We aimed to explore drivers of psychological distress among Black-African first-year female students in South African universities and examine how they collectively influenced their mental health challenges. Fifty-four Black-African, female students aged 18\u201330years enrolled at three South African university campuses participated in three focus group discussions led by female researchers. The FGDs explored first-year students\u2019 drivers and experiences of psychological distress while navigating the transition to university and their considerations around utilizing support services. We found that individual, peer, family, relationship, and institutional factors collectively contributed to psychological distress among students. Academic challenges including increased workloads and unfamiliar study methods, combined with struggle to secure residences, and social pressures to conform to peer lifestyles, exacerbated their distress. Financial distress, often intensified by delayed funding and family obligations like \u201cblack tax\u201d, forced difficult choices and prioritisations. Additionally, controlling and emotionally abusive relationships, alongside partner infidelity, further undermined the students\u2019 well-being. These interconnected stressors negatively impacted psychological distress which was aggravated by limited access to support services during the critical university transition. Findings suggest that first-year Black-African female students, especially those from low-income households, often experience psychological distress from intersecting academic, social, financial, and relational challenges. To improve wellbeing and academic success, universities must prioritise removing barriers to comprehensive support for first year students. Key actions include ensuring timely financial aid, expanding access to mental health services, academic orientation programmes, and implement initiatives that promote mental health, women\u2019s empowerment and healthy relationships.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pmen.0000566","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,2]],"date-time":"2026-04-02T17:40:01Z","timestamp":1775151601000},"page":"e0000566","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pmen.corrections_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Drivers of psychological distress among first year female public university students in South Africa: A qualitative exploratory study"],"prefix":"10.1371","volume":"3","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7275-1100","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Mercilene Tanyaradzwa","family":"Machisa","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Pinky","family":"Mahlangu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Yandisa","family":"Sikweyiya","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Rachel","family":"Jewkes","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-5239-8741","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Elizabeth","family":"Dartnall","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2489-8770","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Sinegugu","family":"Duma","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Nelisiwe","family":"Khuzwayo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Managa","family":"Pillay","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Millicent","family":"Maoto","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Carrie","family":"Brooke-Sumner","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"340","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,2]]},"reference":[{"key":"pmen.0000566.ref001","volume-title":"APA Dictionary of Psychology","year":"2025"},{"key":"pmen.0000566.ref002","volume-title":"World mental health report: Transforming mental health for all","author":"World Health Organization","year":"2022"},{"issue":"3","key":"pmen.0000566.ref003","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"361","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jadohealth.2021.06.009","article-title":"The Measurement of Mental Health Problems Among Adolescents and Young Adults Throughout the World","volume":"69","author":"L Carvajal","year":"2021","journal-title":"J Adolesc Health"},{"issue":"9","key":"pmen.0000566.ref004","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"731","DOI":"10.1016\/S2215-0366(24)00163-9","article-title":"The Lancet Psychiatry Commission on youth mental health","volume":"11","author":"PD McGorry","year":"2024","journal-title":"Lancet Psychiatry"},{"issue":"10352","key":"pmen.0000566.ref005","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"617","DOI":"10.1016\/S0140-6736(22)01012-1","article-title":"Depression in young people","volume":"400","author":"A Thapar","year":"2022","journal-title":"Lancet"},{"issue":"10157","key":"pmen.0000566.ref006","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1553","DOI":"10.1016\/S0140-6736(18)31612-X","article-title":"The Lancet Commission on global mental health and sustainable development","volume":"392","author":"V Patel","year":"2018","journal-title":"Lancet"},{"key":"pmen.0000566.ref007","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"217","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jad.2022.10.044","article-title":"The mental health of university students in South Africa: Results of the national student survey","volume":"321","author":"J Bantjes","year":"2023","journal-title":"J Affect Disord"},{"issue":"3","key":"pmen.0000566.ref008","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"396","DOI":"10.1177\/0081246320963204","article-title":"Mental health and academic failure among first-year university students in South Africa","volume":"51","author":"J Bantjes","year":"2020","journal-title":"South African Journal of Psychology"},{"key":"pmen.0000566.ref009","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1759","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyg.2020.01759","article-title":"Sources of Stress and Their Associations With Mental Disorders Among College Students: Results of the World Health Organization World Mental Health Surveys International College Student Initiative","volume":"11","author":"E Karyotaki","year":"2020","journal-title":"Front Psychol"},{"issue":"10185","key":"pmen.0000566.ref010","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2030","DOI":"10.1016\/S0140-6736(19)31013-X","article-title":"Adolescence and mental health","volume":"393","author":"SJ Blakemore","year":"2019","journal-title":"The Lancet"},{"issue":"4","key":"pmen.0000566.ref011","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"357","DOI":"10.1016\/S2215-0366(18)30060-9","article-title":"Social determinants of mental disorders and the Sustainable Development Goals: a systematic review of reviews","volume":"5","author":"C Lund","year":"2018","journal-title":"Lancet Psychiatry"},{"issue":"12","key":"pmen.0000566.ref012","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"472","DOI":"10.3390\/socsci10120472","article-title":"A review of first-year student stress and social support","volume":"10","author":"R Maymon","year":"2021","journal-title":"Social Sciences"},{"issue":"1","key":"pmen.0000566.ref013","first-page":"55","article-title":"Adjustment, psychological well-being and mental health of first year students in a South African university","volume":"20","author":"MO Olasupo","year":"2018","journal-title":"North American Journal of Psychology"},{"key":"pmen.0000566.ref014","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"97","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jad.2017.07.044","article-title":"Mental health problems in college freshmen: Prevalence and academic functioning","volume":"225","author":"R Bruffaerts","year":"2018","journal-title":"J Affect Disord"},{"issue":"4","key":"pmen.0000566.ref015","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"384","DOI":"10.1080\/14330237.2016.1208960","article-title":"The social and academic adjustment experiences of first-year students at a historically disadvantaged peri-urban university in South Africa","volume":"26","author":"K Nel","year":"2016","journal-title":"Journal of Psychology in Africa"},{"key":"pmen.0000566.ref016","first-page":"50","article-title":"The emergence of emerging adulthood: The new life stage between adolescence and young adulthood","volume-title":"Routledge handbook of youth and young adulthood","author":"JL Tanner","year":"2016"},{"key":"pmen.0000566.ref017","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"113514","DOI":"10.1016\/j.socscimed.2020.113514","article-title":"Stress, self-compassion, and well-being during the transition to college","volume":"269","author":"E Kroshus","year":"2021","journal-title":"Soc Sci Med"},{"issue":"13","key":"pmen.0000566.ref018","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"7913","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph19137913","article-title":"Suicidal Thoughts, Depression, Post-Traumatic Stress, and Harmful Alcohol Use Associated with Intimate Partner Violence and Rape Exposures among Female Students in South Africa","volume":"19","author":"MT Machisa","year":"2022","journal-title":"Int J Environ Res Public Health"},{"issue":"7","key":"pmen.0000566.ref019","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"623","DOI":"10.1037\/abn0000362","article-title":"WHO World Mental Health Surveys International College Student Project: Prevalence and distribution of mental disorders","volume":"127","author":"RP Auerbach","year":"2018","journal-title":"J Abnorm Psychol"},{"issue":"2","key":"pmen.0000566.ref020","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"105","DOI":"10.1177\/2167696813506885","article-title":"Transitioning from high school to college: relations of social support, ego-resiliency, and maladjustment during emerging adulthood","volume":"2","author":"ZE Taylor","year":"2014","journal-title":"Emerging adulthood"},{"issue":"3","key":"pmen.0000566.ref021","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"383","DOI":"10.2190\/CS.13.3.g","article-title":"Parent Support and Stress among First-Generation and Continuing-Generation Female Students during the Transition to College","volume":"13","author":"SR Sy","year":"2011","journal-title":"Journal of College Student Retention: Research, Theory & Practice"},{"issue":"1","key":"pmen.0000566.ref022","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"83","DOI":"10.24085\/jsaa.v12i1.5245","article-title":"South African private universities: The unique challenges of private university first-generation students\u2013the unique opportunity for private higher education institutions: Universit\u00e9s priv\u00e9es sud-africaines: D\u00e9fis uniques des \u00e9tudiants de premi\u00e8re g\u00e9n\u00e9ration des universit\u00e9s priv\u00e9es et opportunit\u00e9 unique pour les \u00e9tablissements d\u2019enseignement sup\u00e9rieur priv\u00e9s","volume":"12","author":"L Meyer","year":"2024","journal-title":"Journal of Student Affairs in Africa"},{"issue":"97","key":"pmen.0000566.ref023","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"86","DOI":"10.17159\/2520-9868\/i97a05","article-title":"It has given us a title: Identity-transitions in first-generation students at a South African university","author":"L Naud\u00e9","year":"2025","journal-title":"J educ (Univ KwaZulu-natal)"},{"issue":"1","key":"pmen.0000566.ref024","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.24085\/jsaa.v8i1.4180","article-title":"Investigation of First\u2011year Learning Experiences in a Rural University in South Africa","volume":"8","author":"C Uleanya","year":"2020","journal-title":"JSAA"},{"issue":"13","key":"pmen.0000566.ref025","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph19137913","article-title":"Suicidal thoughts, depression, post-traumatic stress, and harmful alcohol use associated with intimate partner violence and rape exposures among female students in South Africa","volume":"19","author":"MT Machisa","year":"2022","journal-title":"Int J Environ Res Public Health"},{"issue":"12","key":"pmen.0000566.ref026","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0260886","article-title":"Factors associated with female students\u2019 past year experience of sexual violence in South African public higher education settings: A cross-sectional study","volume":"16","author":"MT Machisa","year":"2021","journal-title":"PLoS One"},{"issue":"4","key":"pmen.0000566.ref027","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"185","DOI":"10.1080\/07448481.2013.787619","article-title":"A comparison of lesbian, bisexual, and heterosexual college undergraduate women on selected mental health issues","volume":"61","author":"DL Kerr","year":"2013","journal-title":"J Am Coll Health"},{"key":"pmen.0000566.ref028","article-title":"Qualitative exploration of mental health and its drivers in lesbian, bisexual and queer identifying women at a South African higher education institution","author":"C Brooke-Sumner","year":"2025","journal-title":"BMC GPH PREPRINT"},{"key":"pmen.0000566.ref029","volume-title":"Youth and Persons with Disabilities on Economic Consequences of Teenage Pregnancy","author":"Department of Women Youth and Persons with Disabilities","year":"2024"},{"issue":"1","key":"pmen.0000566.ref030","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.4102\/phcfm.v16i1.4146","article-title":"Young women\u2019s social support networks during pregnancy in Soweto, South Africa","volume":"16","author":"K Mabetha","year":"2024","journal-title":"Afr J Prim Health Care Fam Med"},{"issue":"3","key":"pmen.0000566.ref031","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.20853\/37-3-5448","article-title":"Balancing dual roles as mothers and students like a walk on a tight rope? Reflections and experiences of student mothers at a South African higher education institution","volume":"37","author":"U Maluleka","year":"2023","journal-title":"SAJHE"},{"issue":"2","key":"pmen.0000566.ref032","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"77","DOI":"10.1191\/1478088706qp063oa","article-title":"Using thematic analysis in psychology","volume":"3","author":"V Braun","year":"2006","journal-title":"Qualitative Research in Psychology"},{"issue":"1","key":"pmen.0000566.ref033","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1080\/09718923.2011.11892876","article-title":"What\u2019s the Use of Induction Courses? A Case Study of Three South African Universities","volume":"26","author":"N Wadesango","year":"2011","journal-title":"Journal of Social Sciences"},{"issue":"1","key":"pmen.0000566.ref034","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"99","DOI":"10.1080\/01443410802521066","article-title":"Adjustment to university and academic performance among disadvantaged students in South Africa","volume":"29","author":"I Petersen","year":"2009","journal-title":"Educational Psychology"},{"issue":"3","key":"pmen.0000566.ref035","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"277","DOI":"10.1080\/09515070210143480","article-title":"Stressful experiences of first year students of selected universities in South Africa","volume":"15","author":"O Bojuwoye","year":"2002","journal-title":"Counselling Psychology Quarterly"},{"issue":"4","key":"pmen.0000566.ref036","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"369","DOI":"10.1080\/01443411003659978","article-title":"Adjustment to university and academic performance: brief report of a follow\u2010up study","volume":"30","author":"I Petersen","year":"2010","journal-title":"Educational Psychology"},{"issue":"2","key":"pmen.0000566.ref037","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"172","DOI":"10.1891\/1052-3073.26.2.172","article-title":"Financial Stress and Financial Counseling: Helping College Students","volume":"26","author":"SL Britt","year":"2015","journal-title":"Journal of Financial Counseling and Planning"},{"issue":"1","key":"pmen.0000566.ref038","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.4148\/1944-9771.1063","article-title":"Factors Related to Financial Stress among College Students","volume":"5","author":"S Heckman","year":"2014","journal-title":"Journal of Financial Therapy"},{"issue":"3","key":"pmen.0000566.ref039","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1136\/bmjopen-2024-091297","article-title":"Mental health-promoting intervention models in university students: a systematic review and meta-analysis protocol","volume":"15","author":"P Amaro","year":"2025","journal-title":"BMJ Open"},{"key":"pmen.0000566.ref040","first-page":"316","article-title":"A systematic review of university students\u2019 mental health in sub-Saharan Africa","volume":"9","author":"J Bokamoso","year":"2024","journal-title":"Transformation in Higher Education"},{"key":"pmen.0000566.ref041","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"5","DOI":"10.1186\/s13033-020-0339-y","article-title":"Inequality and mental healthcare utilisation among first-year university students in South Africa","volume":"14","author":"J Bantjes","year":"2020","journal-title":"Int J Ment Health Syst"},{"key":"pmen.0000566.ref042","article-title":"Mental health situational analysis: South Africa.","author":"National Planning Commission","year":"2024"},{"key":"pmen.0000566.ref043","volume-title":"Policy framework to address gender-based violence in the post-school education and training system","author":"Department of Higher Education and Training","year":"2020"},{"key":"pmen.0000566.ref044","volume-title":"National strategic plan on gender based violence and femicide","author":"Government of South Africa","year":"2020"},{"issue":"10","key":"pmen.0000566.ref045","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1483","DOI":"10.1177\/1049732318821692","article-title":"What Influences Saturation? Estimating Sample Sizes in Focus Group Research","volume":"29","author":"MM Hennink","year":"2019","journal-title":"Qual Health Res"},{"issue":"1","key":"pmen.0000566.ref046","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3","DOI":"10.1177\/1525822X16639015","article-title":"How Many Focus Groups Are Enough? Building an Evidence Base for Nonprobability Sample Sizes","volume":"29","author":"G Guest","year":"2016","journal-title":"Field Methods"},{"key":"pmen.0000566.ref047","first-page":"211","article-title":"Focus groups","volume-title":"Qualitative research practice: A guide for social science students and researchers","author":"H Finch","year":"2003"}],"container-title":["PLOS Mental Health"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/dx.plos.org\/10.1371\/journal.pmen.0000566","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,2]],"date-time":"2026-04-02T17:40:10Z","timestamp":1775151610000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/dx.plos.org\/10.1371\/journal.pmen.0000566"}},"subtitle":[],"editor":[{"given":"Katerina","family":"Naumova","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"editor"}]}],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,2]]},"references-count":47,"journal-issue":{"issue":"4","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,2]]}},"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pmen.0000566","relation":{},"ISSN":["2837-8156"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2837-8156","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,2]]}}}