The Role of Life Style and Toleration in Predicting Mental Health and Self-Empathy among the Students of Razi University in Kermanshah, 2014

Introduction: This study was carried out to determine the relationship among life style and toleration, on the one hand, and mental health and self-empathy among the students in Razi University of Kermanshah in 2014, on the other.

Methods: This was a descriptive – analytical and correlational type of research. The research population included all the students at Razi University among whom 376 students (188 male and 188 female) were selected via the multi-stage cluster sampling.  To collect the data the questionnaires of living style (Miller & Smith, 2003), toleration (Coner & Davidson, 2003), living style and self-empathy were used. The collected data were analyzed using data analysis software SPSS version 19 through the statistical technics of Pearson Correlation Coefficient, and Regression analysis

Results: The findings showed correlations between living style and mental health (p=32%), living style and self-empathy (p=18%). Also, toleration and mental health (p=46%), as well as toleration and self-empathy (p=29%) revealed significant correlation at (P˂0/05) level. The regression analysis result showed that the factors of living style and toleration could predict the 23% of the changes in mental health collaboratively, and their weight was β=0/15 and β=0/39 respectively. In addition it showed that the factors of living style and toleration, collaboratively, could predict 0/09 of the changes of self-empathy.

Conclusion: Considering the results of this study it can be claimed that any enhancement in living style and toleration would result in the improvement of mental health and self-empathy.