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Introduction: The aim of this survey was to assess psychometric properties of GHQ-28 in Iranian psychiatric population and appropriating it as a screening instrument for assessing general health in this population. Method and Materials: This was a psychometric study executed on 80 psychiatric patients and 80 matched normal participants. The assessments consisted of a psychiatrist’s interview based on DSM.IV criteria, and administration of GHQ-28 and a demographic questionnaire. Data was analyzed using factor, discrimination and regression analysis methods, as well as Pearson’s correlation co-efficient, Spearman- Brown’s and Guttmann’s split tests.  Findings: Four factors were extracted from the GHQ-28, of which the first three explained the most percenttage of variance. Clinical cut-off point, sensitivity, specificity and classification error were found to be 24, 0.80, 0.99, 0.10 respectively. Criterion validity Chronbach's alpha and split reliability co-efficient were found to be 0.78, 0.97 and 0.90 respectively.  Discussion: Factor analysis revealed that the four factors which are the basics in this questionnaire have a high internal consistency. The calculated optimal clinical cut-off point for screening general health in Iranian population was 24 which ensure optimal psychometric indices. Coefficients of criterion validity, structural validity and reliability showed that GHQ-28 is one of the most valid instruments for screening general health. 

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Aim and Background: Stress is one of the risk factors for heart diseases. It also reduces general health in patients with heart diseases. The aim of this research was to evaluate the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral stress management interventions on general health among patients with heart diseases. Methods and Materials: A total number of 26 patients with heart diseases were selected by convenience sampling method from the rehabilitation unit of Cardiovascular Research Center (Isfahan, Iran). The subjects were randomly assigned into two groups of experimental (n = 13) and control (n = 13). The experimental group received 8 weekly sessions of cognitive-behavioral stress management intervention. The General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) was completed in the pretest and posttest phases by the patients of the two groups. Data was analyzed by SPSS 16 using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). Findings: The results of ANCOVA showed that mean general health scores of posttest significantly decreased in the experimental group compared to the control group (P < 0.05). Conclusions: The results of this study showed that cognitive-behavioral stress management interventions can be used as a useful interventional method for patients with heart diseases.

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Aim and Background: In recent decades, changes in marital patterns and lifestyles have lead to conflicts between couples, which affects their sense of psychological security and attachment to one another. In such environments, anxiety and depressive disorders are common and may lead to loss of satisfaction of marital life. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the correlation between couple&#039;s general health and marital satisfaction. Method and Materials: This was a descriptive, correlational study. One hundred 25-45 year old male employees of Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Iran, with high school to Bachelor degrees, were selected with c onvenience sampling in 2009. The GHQ-28 and Marital satisfaction Questionnaires were given to them. Data were analyzed by hierarchical regression and correlation between subscales of the questionnaires. Findings: We used hieratical regression in order to predict marital satisfaction by mental health status. Results showed that increase in depression subscale causes a decrease in attraction subscale of marital satisfaction. Moreover, increase in depression was associated with decrease in rapport subscale of marital satisfaction. Increase in anxiety and depression was associated with attitude subscale of marital satisfaction. Increase in bodily factors was associated with increase in investment, but increase in anxiety and depression was associated with decrease in investment. Analyzed results indicate that about 28% of employees were suspected of having brief mental disorders; no relation between age, years of service, birth order and general health were found. In addition there were significant differences between educational level and marital satisfaction. Correlation between age, intimacy, investment attitudes and satisfaction was significant. On the other hand, simultaneous with increase in age and appearance of burnout, marital satisfaction was significantly reduced. Conclusions: Result showed that subscales of marital satisfaction including attraction, rapport, attitude, and investment were associated with bodily factors, depression and anxiety subscales of mental health, and that we can predict marital satisfaction through mental health factors.

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Aim and Background: Due to the occurrence of identity crisis, numerous theorists have asserted that adolescence is the most important stage life-long. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between general health and identity base and status on students of Ferdowsi University of Mashhad. Methods and Materials: This descriptive-correlation study was done on 240 undergraduated students (120 males and 120 females) of Ferdowsi University of Mashhad in 2009 to investigate the relations between general health and identity base and status. Two hundred and forty students from 4 schools (Psychology, Theology, Basic Sciences and Literature Sciences) were selected as the final subjects according to the power analysis with software G*power version 3.1. General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28) and identity situation questionnaire were given to them. Data were analyzed regarding the variables such as gender, course of study, marital status, native or non-native and birth order by correlation and regression analysis using SPSS software. Findings: Regression analysis suggested that status of achievement and diffusion significantly predicted 14% of depression variation, 7% of anxiety and 12% of social function from subscales of general health. Conclusions: It can be concluded that identity status have important role for supporting sources in improving mental health among university students, and mental health of university students reflected the location of individuals on a continuum from identity achievement (interpersonal and ideological bases) to identity diffusion.

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Abstract Aim and Background: The aim of the study was to investigate the relationship of coping skills and mental health with attitude to addiction in high school students. Method s and Materials: The subjects of this study consisted of 600 high school students (300 girls, 300 boys) who were selected by multiphase cluster sampling from high schools in city of Shiraz and were assessed with coping inventory, GHQ-28 and attitude to addiction inventory. The data were analyzed using Pearson multiple regression and t test methods. Findings: Findings showed that there is a significant difference between adolescents who have high score on GHQ (bad condition) and who have low score on GHQ (better condition) in attitude to addiction. Furthermore a positive significant relationship was found between the problem focused coping and negative attitude to addiction. Also between non-effective coping skills and negative attitude to addiction a negative significant correlation was found. Regression analysis showed that non-effective coping skills are the best predictor of negative attitude to addiction. Conclusions: It can be argued that coping styles and general health in students have a great importance in screening and preventive interventions for substance use.  

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Abstract Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the effectiveness of Happiness training on general health of oil refining company personnel in Isfahan. Methods: During a quasi-experimental study, thirty official personnel of Isfahan Oil Refining Company were randomly assigned to experimental (N=15) and control groups (n=15) Then, the happiness program was instructed collectively that centered on 12 fundamentals Fordyce, including be yourself, keeping busy, developing an outgoing social personality, spending more time socializing, developing positive thinking, optimistic thinking, getting better organized, stop worrying, , be productive at meaningful work, lower expectation and aspiration and being present-oriented. Research instrument was General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28), for pre and post-test. At last, subjects were again administered as the post-test. For analyzing the data ANCOVA was used. Results: The results of analysis of covariance indicated that the happiness training increased the mental health (P<0.003) and reduced anxiety and insomnia (P<0.02). Conclusion: The findings showed that happiness training can be used as a training program for increased the general health in oil refining company personnel.

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Abstract Aim and Background: Many of diseases, especially chronic and debilitating types, have co-morbidity with psychological problems. One of these chronic diseases which has co-morbidity with psychological problems is renal failure. This disease can endanger public health. This study was conducted aiming to examine the effectiveness of group logo therapy on hope and general health of dialysis patients at Milad Hospital of Tehran, Iran. Methods and Materials: Research method was semi-experimental and research design was the kind of pretest-posttest. The statistical community includes all patients admitted to the dialysis sector at Milad Hospital of Tehran in the fall and winter at 2012. Thirty patients were selected purposively and then replaced at random in two control and experiment groups (15 subjects in each group). The experiment group was admitted to group logo therapy intervention in 8 sessions during 90 minutes and the control group was also at waiting list and was admitted to no intervention. Covariance analysis test was used for analyzing data. The confidence distance and acceptable error are 0.95 and 0.05 respectively. Findings: The findings showed that rate of hope and general health increased among the patients who were admitted to intervention logo therapy Conclusions: According to the results obtained, it can be said that logo therapy approach was effective in increasing hope and general health among dialysis patients at Milad Hospital of Tehran. &nbsp;

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Aim and Background: Mental health refers to cognitive, behavioral, and emotional well-being. It is all about how people think, feel, and behave. Mental health can affect daily living, relationships, and physical health. The purpose of this study was to systematic review and meta-analysis of studies that compared the mental health of athletic and non-athletic students.
Methods and Materials: Articles were searched in Persian in the SID, Noormags, Civilica, Elmnet using the keywords “mental health”, “general health”, “athlete”, and “non- athlete” were used without any time limit until February 2017. Inclusion criteria included cross-sectional studies comparing athletes and non-athletes as well as studies using the General Health Questionnaire-28 (GHQ-28). The modified checklist by Downs et al. (1998) was used to assess the methodological quality of the selected studies. Articles were reviewed using the PRISMA checklist.
Findings: Based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria, finally 12 articles from 478 studies were comprehensively reviewed. According to the results of the study, the total number of athletes and non-athletes was 1252 and 1451, respectively. The results of meta-analysis showed that there is a significant difference between the mental health of athlete students and non-athlete [MD = -5.15, 95% CI (-3.34 to -6.96)] as well as there is a significant difference between athletic and non-athletic students in the following four subscales of mental health so that in all cases the athletes were better; physical symptoms [MD = -1.23, 95% CI (-0.70 to -1.75)], anxiety and sleep disorder [MD = -1.73, 95% CI (-1.24 to -2.21)], social dysfunction [MD = -1.50, 95% CI (-0.74 to -2.25)], and depression [MD = -1.43, 95% CI (-0.85 to -2)].
Conclusions: The results of this study showed that student-athletes had better general health than non-athletes. Therefore, exercise and physical activity can promote students' mental health.