The Relationship between Body Image and Mental Health of Students in Birjand in 2016 Academic Year: A Short Report

Body image represents how one perceives his/her body and acts as the most important part of an individual’s image of oneself. It is because a person's physical appearance is the first feature that is judged by people when they encounter each other. On the other hand, a notable measure of mental health is one’s satisfaction with his/her body image and positive attitude to the body. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the relationship between body image and mental health of university students.
In this cross-sectional study, 372 students studying in Birjand in 2016 were selected by convenience sampling method. Data collection tools included demographics form, the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28), and the Multidimensional Body-Self Relations Questionnaire (MBSRQ). The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Spearman’s correlation test, Kruskal-Wallis H test, Mann-Whitney U test, and simple linear regression.
There was a significant, inverse relationship between body image and mental health (P The results showed that there is an inverse relationship between body image and mental health, a finding that can help in better preparation of educational counseling programs.