Exploring the Possible Effect of Training on Babol University of Medical Sciences Students’ Psychological Capital

Abstract

Introduction: Flourishing of individuals is one of the students’ important characteristics that can lead to social health and well-being, which, in turn, highlights the flourishing of individuals and related factors. In so doing, this study endeavored to study the effectiveness of flourishing education on psychological capital (hope, resiliency, self-efficacy and optimism) of students of Babol University of Medical Sciences. Methods: This applied and experimental study was conducted with a pre-test-post-test design with a control group. The population consisted of all students of Babol University of Medical Sciences. From this population, 40 individuals who obtained a standard deviation score lower than the average in the flourishing questionnaire were selected by random cluster sampling. Initially, the participants completed the Psychological Capital Questionnaire. The experimental group was then trained to flourish. Finally, both groups received post-test. After data collection, the data were analyzed using multivariate analysis of covariance. Results: The results revealed that there was a significant difference in the variables of self-efficacy and hope between the two groups at the level of p <0.01, while in the variable of optimism this difference was significant at the level of p<0.05. There was no significant difference in resiliency between the two groups. Conclusion: It can be concluded that the use of flourishing education elevate psychological capital in students and therefore this education can be used to promote self-efficacy, optimism, as well as hope and other health-related variables.

Keywords

• psychological capital
• hope
• resilience
• self-efficacy
• optimism and medical students