Students’ Problems Presented upon Attending in The University Counseling Centers of Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences

Introduction:University counseling centers, as a section of vice chancellery for students and cultural affairs, serves for improving students’ physical and psychosocial well-being. The purpose of this study was to investigate students’ problems making them attend counseling centers in Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences. Methods:In a descriptive correlation study, the students’ problems making them visit counseling centers of Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Science were reviewed for a year interval (2011-2012). The data was extracted from the records (647 student files) in the counseling centers using a form and a database was developed. Descriptive statistics (frequency, mean, and standard deviation) and inferential statistics (chi-square test, independent t test, and Pearson correlation coefficient) were used in data analysis. Results:Out of 3200 students in the university, 647 (20%) visited University Counseling Centers at least once. Visitors were mostly female students (73.13% vs. 26.87%, χ2=12.92 and p=0.02). The frequency of causes bringing students to counseling center were: educational and academic problems for 164 (25.6%) students, psychological-emotional problems in 140 (21%), personal problems in 140 (21.7%), marital problems in 133 (20.7%), and family problems in 67 (10.4%). The chi-square analysis indicated that significant differences exist among the causes for referring students by sex, marital status, and not being Ahwaz inhabitant(p<0.05). Conclusion: Less than a quarter of students had attended counseling centers and these visits were mostly due to educational and psycho-emotional problems. Therefore it is recommended to continuously assess students’ counseling needs and conduct workshops to help resolve their most prevalent problems.