Efficacy of life skills training on increase of mental health and self esteem of the students

AbstractThe aim of this study is to achieve to effects of life skills training on providing mental health and self esteem of university students. The study method was experimental research method. The type of design was before- after test design with control group. Statistical society of the present study comprised all boys’ students accepting at 2009 and studying at University of Mohaghegh Ardabili in 2009. Also, this study was conducted only on the individuals who gained 28 or more in DASS questionnaire (which evaluates three subscales of anxiety, depression, and stress), (n=210). At the next stage the needed sample (i.e. 40 boy students {20 individuals in control group and 20 individuals in experimental group}) was selected randomly and distributed in two mentioned groups, randomly. Then, life skills were taught to experimental group for 8 sessions in four week) and no variable was exposed to control group during this period. At the end, 3 individuals from experimental group were omitted; finally the achieved data from 37 individuals was analyzed by descriptive statistics methods (frequently and percentage) as well as inferential statistics methods (independent t test, MANOVA). The results showed that life skills training affects on decreasing mental disorders symptoms especially anxiety, depression and stress of students suspected to the mental disorder. This study showed that life skills training is a good method in decreasing mental disorders symptoms among the students suspected to the mental disorder