The Relationship Between Depression, Anxiety, Stress and Health Behaviors in High School Girl Students in Mashhad in Year 2011-2012

The period of adolescence is one of the most stressful periods of life and has a crucial impact on school performance and subsequent occupational functioning. Since paying attention to students’ mental health is important so the aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between depression, anxiety and stress and health behaviors in high school girl students in Mashhad. This is a correlational study carried out on 407 high-school females in Mashhad city during the year 2011 using a two-stage sampling method. Participants completed questionnaires on demography/ family/ health behaviors and depression, anxiety, stress scale (DASS). Data were then analyzed using SPSS V.14 software and statistical tests. The results showed that 56.5% of the students were 16-14 years old, 66.3% with the BMI of 18.5-99/24 (kg/m2), 36.6% enjoyed physical activity (min/wk), and 83.2% were passive smoker. Also 21.7% suffered from severe and very severe depression, 24/3% from anxiety and 21.8% from stress. There was a significant positive correlation between age and anxiety, stress and significant negative correlation between age and depression; there was however no significant correlation between anxiety, stress, depression and other variables. According to high rates of depression, anxiety and stress in high school girl students in Mashhad and the important role of girls in future society, it seems necessary to prepare the students suffering from such mental problems with medical consultations conducted by related specialists and follow the therapeutic approaches if needed.