The Effect of Life Skills Training on Mental Health of Students in University of Guilan

Introduction: Mental health refers to mental hygiene caused by the prevention of mental disorders, control of risk factors incidence, early detection, and the prevention of factors resulting from coming back of mental illnesses and creating a healthy environment in establishing correct human relations. In this regard, by training life skills it is possible to prevent many illnesses and increase students’ mental health. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of life skills training on mental health of students in University of Guilan. Method: The present research was a semi-experimental method which was done in the academic year 95-96 on 60 students (girls and boys) selected through random sampling. Data collection was done by two life skills questionnaires (Saatchi et al., 2010) and the questionnaire of The General Mental Health of GHQ (Goldberg and Hiller, 1979), which was performed in pre-test and post-test (after training life skills in 5 sessions) and finally, data analysis was conducted by SPSS software and dependent T-test. Results: Based on the findings, there is a correlation between mental health and life skills of students to the rate (r=0.695). Therefore, the above relationships were significant at the level (P≤ 0/001) and life skills training increases mental health to the rate (4/585). The results indicate that life skills training increases mental health of students in University of Guilan. Also, life skills training boost mental health of male and female students individually. Conclusion: According to the results of the study, it is suggested that curriculum planners and educational authorities pay attention to life skills training in students’ curriculum.