Volume 17, Issue 4 (2026)                   Res Med Edu 2026, 17(4): 49-58 | Back to browse issues page


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Mohseni E, Bakhshi F, Asgari F, Shakiba M. Relationship of Happiness and Academic Expectations Stress with Health Locus of Control among the Students of Guilan University of Medical Sciences. Res Med Edu 2026; 17 (4) :49-58
URL: http://rme.gums.ac.ir/article-1-1511-en.html
Research Center of Health and Environment, School of Health, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran & Department of Health Education and Promotion, School of Health, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran , fa.bakhshi88@gmail.com
Abstract:   (352 Views)
Introduction:Stress caused by academic pressures is common all around the world. Stress and happiness are key factors influencing mental health. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between happiness and stress related to academic expectations with the health locus of control among students at Guilan University of Medical Sciences.
Methods: This cross-sectional analytic study was conducted on students at Guilan University of Medical Sciences in 2023. Data were collected using demographic and three standardized questionnaires (i.e., the Oxford Happiness Scale, Academic Expectations Stress Scale, and Health Locus of Control Scale). A total of 392 students were selected through strratified random sampling method . Data analysis was performed using descriptive and inferential statistics and multiple linear regression with IBM SPSS Statistics Software (version 23).
Results: The mean age of the students was 22.16±3.65 years, and most of them were female (58.4%) and single (95.4%). The mean±SD scores of happiness and academic expectations stress were 39.68±12.43 and 27.10±7.32, respectively. After adjusting for background variables, the health locus of control constructs, including personal beliefs and chance, showed significant independent associations with happiness and academic expectations stress. Furthermore, weak but significant correlations were observed between personal beliefs and happiness (β=0.42, P=0.001), as well as between chance and happiness (β=0.25, P=0.048). Personal beliefs also showed a weak but significant association with academic expectations stress (β=0.15, P=0.049). The model's R-squared for predicting happiness was 9.95%; however, it explained only 3.79% of the variation in academic expectations stress.
Conclusion: The results indicated weak but significant relationship between health locus of control,happiness and academis expectations stress also, the limited predictive power of the health locus of control model in relation to happiness and academic expectations stress has been demonstrated. Importance of  personal beliefs, chance in happinesss and academic stress has been raised in this study. It is suggested to use various psychological and educational models to improve mental health and reduce stress in future research.    
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