Abstract
Background and objectives : This study aimed to compare mental health status between students of two faculties of Alzahra University: physical education vs. educational sciences and psychology.
Material and Methods : This cross-sectional study was conducted in physical educations and educational sciences and psychology faculties. A total number of 242 and 265 students were surveyed in these faculties respectively by GHQ-28 general health questionnaire. Data were extracted and analyzed using SPSS-17.
Results : Results indicate that among 265 students, 135 participants (55.78%) in physical educationfaculty and 170 participants in educational sciences and psychology faculty (60.28%) were suspected tosuffer from mental disorders. Results showed that prevalence of mental disorders in physical educationfaculty and faculty of educational sciences and psychology were 9.4% and 30.2% respectively (p<0.001).Mean score of mental health among the students of faculty of physical education was 15.99±8.04 and23.94±11.02 for the students of educational sciences and psychology faculty (p<0.0001). In sub scales,students of physical education scored lower too.
Conclusion : The results demonstrated that students of physical education faculty significantly scored lower than students of educational sciences and psychology faculty in all four scales of mental health. They had fewer problems in terms of anxiety, depression, physical disorders and social function. Generally, they had better mental health status.