CRVAW Faculty Journal Articles
Factors Associated With the Psychological Well-Being and Distress of University Students
Abstract
Objective: Because of the serious nature of psychiatric illness and related problems, the authors attempted to identify demographic, individual, and behavioral factors linked to university students' psychological health.
Participants: They surveyed 353 (60.9% female) predominately Caucasian (88.7%) university students attending a large public university.
Methods: The authors used a self-report questionnaire including valid and reliable psychometric instruments for all study variables. They conducted multiple regression analyses to examine associations among study variables using a cross-sectional design.
Results: More favorable health states (ie, greater psychological well-being and less distress) were positively associated with optimism, health values, and religiousness and were negatively associated with spirituality and number of sexual partners.
Conclusions: Results demonstrated that multiple protective and risk factors contribute to the psychological well-being and distress of university students. Health promotion practitioners should adopt strategies that strengthen the personality characteristics and values associated with university students' psychological health.
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2009
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
http://dx.doi.org/10.3200/JACH.57.5.536-544
Repository Citation
Burris, Jessica L.; Brechting, Emily H.; Salsman, John M.; and Carlson, Charles R., "Factors Associated With the Psychological Well-Being and Distress of University Students" (2009). CRVAW Faculty Journal Articles. 179.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/crvaw_facpub/179
