Perceived stress and General self – efficacy as predictors of mental health in a sample of students of diploma of Educational qualification at University of Damascus

Abstract

The research aimed at identifying the predictability of mental health through perceived stress and general self -efficacy, and identifying the relationship between general self –efficacy ,perceived stress and mental health. In addition to exploring the differences among students in self –efficacy ,perceived stress and mental health according to gender and specialization. As well as exploring differences between high and low self-efficacy in perceived stress , and mental health .The sample of this research consisted of (140) students :(69)males , (71) females. The instruments of the research included self –efficacy scale , perceived stress scale and mental health scale . Results showed the following :perceived stress and general self -efficacy contributed to the predictability of mental health among the sample of the research . There was a negative statistically significant correlation between perceived stress and mental health , in addition to a positive statistically correlation between general self –efficacy and mental health . There were statistically significant differences in self-efficacy according to gender ,and these differences were in favor of males .There were statistically significant differences in perceived stress according to gender ,and these differences were in favor of females . There were statistically significant differences in mental health according to  gender ,and these differences were in favor of males  . There were no statistically significant differences in self –efficacy , perceived stress and mental health according to specialization .There were significant differences between high and low self- efficacy in perceived stress in favor of low self - efficacy .There were significant differences between high and low self- efficacy in mental health in favor of high self - efficacy .