@2024 Afarand., IRAN

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ISSN: 2383-2150    Journal of Education and Community Health 2019;6(2):63-69

Background
According to the available information, mental disorders are one of the most important components of the overall burden of diseases and it is predicted that mental disorders will account for about 1% of the overall burden of diseases by 2020 [1].
Previous Studies
... [2]. Today, one of the main indicators of health assessment in different societies is studying the health-based lifestyle, which is a determinant factor in preventing diseases, reducing mortality rate and improving public health in the community. It has the potential to improve mental health and emphasizes on life-enhancing behaviors [4]. Self-efficacy is also one of the most important factors in adapting behavior, which is defined as trusting one's ability to manage a difficult and demanding situation. Self-efficacy is the individual’s belief in his ability to perform behavior successfully [5]. ... [6]. … [7]. … [8, 9]. The relationship between self-efficacy and mental health has been studied by Gholami et al. [10] and it has been found that there is a significant relationship between mental health and self-efficacy. … [11]. ... [12-15]. In the study by O'Neill et al. [16], higher self-efficacy scores were associated with increased mental and physical health, and in the Sarkar et al. [17] study, a decrease in self-efficacy scores was associated with greater physical limitation and worse quality of life…. [18, 19]. ... [20].
Aim(s)
This study aimed at modeling the relationship between self-efficacy and the mediating of health promotion behaviors in students.
Research type
This research is a descriptive-correlational study.
Research society, place and time
This study was done on all boy and girl students in the secondary level of middle school in Sari city in the academic year of 2017-18.
Sampling method and number
Multistage cluster sampling method was used to select the sample and by allocation of the value “20” to each observed variable (13 observed variables) a total of 260 samples were selected.
Used devices&materials
General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) [21], health promotion behaviors questionnaire [22] and Sherer self-efficacy scale [23] were used for data collection. In the first step, library studies were conducted to examine the theoretical foundations and collecting sufficient background. In the second step, according to the field sampling method, the schools of Sari were referred from April to June. After sampling, the students were given basic explanations about the purpose of the research and how to collaborate and complete the questionnaires. The informed consent was obtained from the subjects for the implementation of the research and obtaining necessary permissions, the questionnaires were provided to the students. Data were analyzed using SPSS 24 and Amos 23 software. The Kolmogorov-Smirnov test was first used to investigate the normal distribution of the data. Then, Pearson correlation test and structural equation modeling were used for data analysis.
Findings by Text
Of 260 students, 145 students were girls and 115 students were boys, of whom 95 students were in tenth grade, 90 students in eleventh grade, and 75 students were in twelfth grade. There was a significant correlation between health-promoting behaviors and its components with mental health and its components, between self-efficacy with mental health and its components and also between self-efficacy with mental health and its components (p <0.01; Table 1). According to the obtained goodness of fit indices values, the model showed good fit (Table 2).Self-efficacy and health-promoting behaviors paths had a direct and significant effect on mental health. Self-efficacy by mediating health-promoting behaviors also had an indirect effect on mental health (p<0.05; Table 3).In the final model, the self-efficacy direct path coefficients and its components with mental health and its components as well as after mediating health-promoting behaviors and its components were significant in the relationship between self-efficacy and mental health (p <0.05; Fig. 1)
Main comparison to the similar studies
Health-promoting behaviors have a predictive role in mental health, which is consistent with the findings of previous studies [24-27]. Hong et al. studied the relationship between mental health components and health-promoting behaviors and the results showed a significant relationship between mental health and its components with health-promoting behaviors [28]. Also, the findings of this study showed that there is a correlation between mental health and students' self-efficacy. Data analysis showed that self-efficacy can predict mental health, which is consistent with findings of previous studies [21–23] that showed self-efficacy is a strong predictor of mental health and the students with better mental health had higher self-efficacy. Chong and Sun [29] in their research have shown that self-efficacy is one of the strategies to help people with anxiety. According to the results, self-efficacy had a direct effect on mental health and can have an indirect relationship with mental health through mediating health-promoting behaviors, which is consistent with the findings of Van Droogenbroeck & Spruyt [30], because high self-efficacy increases mental health and ability to do tasks and makes people more resistant to stress.
Suggestions
More detailed studies of the health-promoting behaviors are needed over time.
Limitations
The present study had some limitations, including its cross-sectional method.
Conclusions
Self-efficacy directly and through the mediation of health promotion behaviors is effective on the mental health of students.
Acknowledgments
This study is extracted from a PhD dissertation at the Islamic Azad University, Babol branch.
Conflict of interest
None declared.
Ethical Permissions
This research has been approved by the Ethics Committee (approval code: IR.IUA.SARI.REC.1397.125).
Funding Sources
This study was not supported by any organization.

TABLES and CHARTS

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