Modeling the Structural Equation of Relationship between Positive and Negative Concept of God and Components of Mental Health (Anxiety, Stress, and Depression) in Students

Purpose: Considering the effect of attitude toward God on different aspects of health of individuals, the present study aims to model the structural equations of the relationship between the positive and negative conception of God with mental health components (anxiety, stress and depression) in students. has taken. Methods: This study was conducted on a sample of 240 male and female students in the city of Ardebil in the academic year of 1996-96 using a survey method and multi-stage cluster sampling. The data were collected using God's Imagination Questionnaire (RSI), anxiety, stress and depression scales of Lavender, and analyzed using structural equation analysis, Pearson correlation test, multiple regression and t-test. Findings: The results showed that the positive and negative conception of God can predict the mental health (anxiety, stress and depression) of students, so that the positive image of God with the symptoms of anxiety, stress and depression and a negative impression of God had significant relationship with anxiety, stress and depression symptoms (P<0.001). Also, according to the structural equation model, the coefficients of the positive image pathway from God to anxiety, stress and depression are negative and significant, and the coefficients of the negative image pathway from God to anxiety, stress and depression are positive and statistically significant (P≤0.05). Such that predictors of anxiety, stress and depression present in the model (positive image of God and negative image of God), explained their variance 27.8%, 40.6%, and 42% respectively. Conclusions: The results of this study showed that the kind of image of God has a significant role in predicting mental health of students. Therefore, teaching positive image of God and providing religious backgrounds in different classes during the period of study and extracurricular classes plays an effective role in promoting mental health of students.