The Relationship between External Religious Orientation and Self-efficacy and Public Health in Zanjan University of Medical Sciences students

Background and Objective: Considering the general health and self-efficacy of the students and the factors that increase or decrease these variables are important goals of the university system. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the relationship between external religious orientation and general health and self-efficacy in students of Zanjan University of Medical Sciences. Materials and Methods: This study was a descriptive-correlational study. The statistical population of the study was all students of undergraduate and postgraduate students in Zanjan University of Medical Sciences in the academic year of 20152016. Using Cochran method, 350 people were selected by stratified random sampling. Data were collected using George's external religious orientation questionnaire, General Scherer Self-efficacy and Goldberg General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28). Data analysis was done using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation and multivariate regression. Results: The results of Pearson correlation test showed that there is not a significant relationship between the external religious orientation variable and general health (P <0.05). Also, between external religious orientation and self-efficacy variables (r = 0.152, P = 0.038), depression (r = 0.198, P = 0.002) and social function component (r=-0.1171, P = 0.028), there was a significant relationship. Also, the results of multiple regression showed that external religious orientation is only a significant predictor of social function component, which can explain 18.8% of social function variance. Conclusion: External religious orientation affects students' depression, self-efficacy and social function. D ow nl oa de d fr om z um s. ac .ir a t 7 :0 8 IR S T o n S at ur da y O ct ob er 1 9t h 20 19 [ D O I: 10 .2 92 52 /e dc j.1 0. 26 .4 9 ] The relationship between External religious orientation and self-efficacy and public health 62 Journal of Medical Education Development , Vol 10, No 26 Summer, 2017 Introduction University admission is one of the most influential events of every individual, which can sometimes be accompanied with anxiety and stress, causing problems in relationships and environmental compatibility of these people. These problems, which are mainly caused due to entering a new environment and dealing with different personality types in the professional setting and dormitory, inadequacy of welfare facilities, financial struggles, and decreased support sources and family monitoring, expose students to improper compatibility and general health disorders. The world health organization (WHO) defines general health according to social and biological aspects. According to this organization, general health of individuals is the ability to create relationships with others, participation in social environment changes, and contribution to changes in a constructive manner. In addition, general health requires coordination between instinctive tendencies. While many experts of this area regard a close relationship between mental health concepts and public health, others distinguish them, believing that mental health is eradicating pathogens, preventing mental diseases and creating a favorable context for the growth and prosperity of human personality and talents (3). On the other hand, general health is the complete state of physical, psychological, and social well-being and it is not regarded as lack of disease or disability. With regard to this definition, it could be stated that psychological aspects of health must be considered to provide complete health. Not only public health includes the absence of mental disorders, but it also comprises aspects of improving mental health status (2). Another important factor affecting psychological aspects and health of students is self-efficiency. During adolescence, selfefficacy beliefs are among the most important factors influencing psychological outcomes. In this period, individuals are faced with new challenges, and methods used to deal with them are affected by self-efficiency beliefs to some extent (4). Moreover, self-efficiency is an important factor for mental health of individuals. According to Bendora (1997), self-efficiency is the ability of a person to perform a specific task to deal with a new situation. On the other hand, standards of this concept can be individual judgment about abilities based on skill levels, sense of personal competence in a particular framework and focusing on assessing abilities to perform specific tasks D ow nl oa de d fr om z um s. ac .ir a t 7 :0 8 IR S T o n S at ur da y O ct ob er 1 9t h 20 19 [ D O I: 10 .2 92 52 /e dc j.1 0. 26 .4 9 ] The relationship between External religious orientation and self-efficacy and public health 154 Journal of Medical Education Development , Vol 10, No 26 Summer, 2017 with regard to goals (5). One of factors, which is proposed to be related to the general health and self-efficiency but its role has not been evaluated in previous studies, is religious orientation. Religious thinkers and psychologists have provided various opinions about the effect of religious beliefs on mental health of individuals. On one hand, psychoanalysts, such as Freud, regard religion and religious beliefs as a neurotic disorder. They believe that religious beliefs not only have no effect on mental health, but they are also risk factors for mental diseases. On the other hand, individuals similar to Yong have considered religious beliefs as necessities of mental health of individuals, even if accompanied with superstitions, such as beliefs of early man (6). According to Allport (1976), differentiating between internal and external religious orientation can help distinguishing individuals, whose goal is religion, from those, for whom religion is a tool. The former pay attention to goodness of their goal, whereas the latter consider the goodness of the tool. Allport stated that the most acceptable method to differentiate between these types of people is to say that a person with external religion uses his religion, whereas an individual with internal religion lives with his religion. He also affirmed that internal religion is an inclusive religion with internalized and organized principles, which is the goal itself and not a tool for achieving the goal (6). In a research by Nelson et al. (2009), the relationship between religious orientations of the internal, spirituality and depression type with an emphasis on association between being religious and having depression was evaluated in 367 individuals with cancer. According to their results, a significant negative relationship was observed between depression and variables of spirituality and being religious (7). Ward also evaluated the relationship between being religious and religious conflicts against stress with psychological welfare (depression and anxiety) in students. He found no significant association between being religious, spirituality, gender, prayer, and forgiveness. On the other hand, religious orientation significantly predicted depression and anxiety (8). In a similar research by Messi, the relationship between religious orientation and mental health was assessed. This study was conducted on 242 catholic students, indicating that internal religious orientation had a significant negative relationship with the level of depression (9). Ehteshamzadeh performed a research to D ow nl oa de d fr om z um s. ac .ir a t 7 :0 8 IR S T o n S at ur da y O ct ob er 1 9t h 20 19 [ D O I: 10 .2 92 52 /e dc j.1 0. 26 .4 9 ]