:: Volume 9, Issue 3 (Military Caring Sciences 2022) ::
MCS 2022, 9(3): 251-263 Back to browse issues page
Comparison of the Effectiveness of Psychological Capital and Mindfulness Training on the Improvement of the Dimensions of Mental Health of Medical Students in a Military University
Bahman Sheykhi Telyabi * 1, Ahmad Alipor2 , Hossein Shokrkon3 , Ahmad Ghazanfari4
1- Ph.D. in Student of General Psychology, Shahrekord Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shahrekord, Iran
2- Ph.D. in Psychology, Professor, Psychology Department, Payam Noor University, Tehran, Iran
3- Ph.D. in Psychology, Professor, Psychology Department, Shahid Chamran University, Ahvaz, Iran
4- Ph.D. in General Psychology, Associate Professor, Psychology Department, Shahr Kord Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shahr Kord, Iran
Abstract:   (882 Views)
Introduction: Ensuring and maintaining the physical and mental health of students is important because mental disorders affect the academic process and lead students to academic failure. Psychological capital approaches and the mindfulness approach provide a practical and positive framework that helps to prevent and improve mental health.
Objectives: The present study was conducted to compare the effectiveness of psychological capital and mindfulness training in improving the mental health of medical students at a military university in Tehran, Iran.
Materials and Methods: The current experimental research was conducted based on a pretest-posttest design with a control group and follow-up in 2021. The research sample consisted of 75 medical faculty students who were randomly selected on the basis of their years of study and were then randomly divided into two experimental groups and one control group (n=25 each). Mental health questionnaire was used to collect data, and the variance method (with repeated measurements) was used for data analysis to test the hypotheses at a significance level of P≤0.05.
Results: The means of mental health of experimental and control groups were not significantly different in the pre-test; however, under the influence of psychological capital and mindfulness training in the post-test and follow-up were significantly different between the two mentioned groups (F=52.132, Eta=0.592, P<0.001). These results showed the effectiveness of the mentioned methods to improve mental health.
Conclusion: The findings of the present research indicated the effectiveness of group training in psychological capital and mindfulness on the improvement of mental health dimensions. Moreover, comparing the effectiveness of these two approaches on mental health dimensions showed the superiority of the mindfulness approach over psychological capital. Therefore, it is suggested that psychological capital and mindfulness group training programs be performed in educational centers, counseling and psychology centers, and medical and health centers to improve mental health.                 
Keywords: Components of Mental Health, Mindfulness, Psychological Capital, Students
Full-Text [PDF 525 kb]   (390 Downloads)    
Type of Study: Research | Subject: Psychology
Received: 2022/08/12 | Accepted: 2022/12/18 | Published: 2022/12/1
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