Psychological capital and its relationship with lifestyle of Mexican university students

Background: University students don’t have a healthy lifestyle so it is necessary to identify psychosocial variables that can increase it. Objective: To determine the relationship between the psychological capital (CapPsi) and lifestyle (EV) of Mexican university students. Method: A cross-sectional and correlational study was carried out among 320 students of a public university. The sample was non probabilistic by quotas. To assess the factors of CapPsi were used the General Scale of Self-efficacy, the Scale of Hope for Adults, Questionnaire of Resilience, the Life Orientation Test and; to assess the lifestyle was used the Fantastic questionnaire. Results: The variables of the CapPsi correlated with the healthy lifestyle; resilience (r = 0.505, p < 0.01); hope (r = 0.432, p < 0.01); optimism (r = 0.412, p < 0.01); and self-efficacy (r = 0.400, p < 0.01). The 33.3 of the total variance of the lifestyle was explained by the CapPsi (R2 = 0.333). Conclusions: Based on the results, it is assumed that the CapPsi improve lifestyle; however, further research is necessary to determine if the influence of CapPsi is in the adoption and / or maintenance of healthy lifestyle and identify how each one of its factors infl uences it particularly. The CapPsi has a representative percentage of prediction of healthy lifestyle. It is necessary that health promotion and prevention programs incorporate the approach of CapPsi to achieve a healthy lifestyle in the university students.