ISMJ

Background: mental health is one of the health assessment topics in different communities which plays an important role in ensuring the dynamism and efficiency, especially in the students. Thus, the aim of this study is to application of basic constructs of social cognitive theory for predicting mental health in student of Bushehr University Medical Sciences.

Materials and Methods: This cross– sectional study was conducted with using a systematic random sampling method in 428 students of Bushehr University Medical Sciences in 2012-13. Information was collected by using five standard questionnaires including academic self efficacy, academic stress, multidimensional social support, student outcome expectancy and Quality of life (SF-36) scales. After data collection, all data was analyzed by SPSS statistical software with using Pearson correlation coefficient test and multiple linear regressions.

Results: In this study, mental health had a significant correlation with social support (P =0.000, r=0.37), academic stress (P= 0.000, r= -0.45) and academic self-efficacy (P =0.000 , r =0. 24). In the liner regression model, predictor factors of mental health were faculty type and curriculum counseling and noncurriculum counseling evaluation variables and self efficacy (P=0.031, B= 1.49), academic stress (P=0.000, B=- 4.35), and social support constructs (P=0.000, B =4.77). Also, gender, mother's education and father's job had indirect effects to mental health through social support and acceptance quota and curriculum counseling evaluation had indirect effects to mental health through self efficacy.

Conclusion: Utilization of strategies to increase self- efficacy, creating social support environment and also stress reduction particularly with organization of curriculum and non-curriculum counseling sessions can promote mental health in students.