Relationship between Mental Health and Some Background Variables in Lorestan University Students

Abstract

Background: Mental health is one of the most important factors in aptitude growth of university students. Many Studies suggest that students have some types of emotional disorders. The purpose of this study is to compare mental health of Lorestan University students in relation to some academic and personal variables. Materials and Methods: This study was a descriptive research. The sample consisted of 436 university students who were selected randomly by the group sampling method. A questionnaire consisted mental health scale (MHS) as well as demographical characteristics employed for gathering required data. We used independent t-test to compare mean scores of mental health. Findings: mental health score of students with an average of 164/19 (a little more than questionnaire average 150) shows that there is a mild degree of mental health disorders in a number of students. Male students were healthier than females. There was no relationship between native and non-native students in relation to their mental health. Finally, students who were active in the university groups were healthier than who were not active in the university groups. Conclusion: In general, it can be said that Lorestan University Students have not a high degree of mental health. Furthermore, the female students are more susceptible than males and there is a meaningful relationship between mental health of students and group activities.