Predicting Students' Happiness Based on Ethical Climate, Perceived Stress and Self-Esteem

Being a student is an exciting and challenging time for students. During this period, all students, especially students of Medical Sciences, should be happier due to facing more stressors and the need for proper adaptation. The aim of this study was to predict happiness based on ethical climate, perceived stress and self-esteem in nursing and paramedical students of Jahrom University of Medical Sciences.

This study was a correlational study conducted in 2018-19. 316 nursing and paramedical students participated in the census method. In this study, Olson questionnaire to assess the ethical climate of Hospital, Oxford Happiness Scale, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale and Cohen's Perceived Stress Scale were used. Data were analyzed by using descriptive statistics, Pearson, Spearman and Eta tests and linear regression by SPSS 16 software.

In the study, a significant association was observed between the hospital ethical climate (p<0/05, r=0/151), the perceived stress (p<0/001, r=-0/354) and the students' self-esteem (p<0/001, r=0/431) with their happiness. So that these three variables were able to predict 22% of the variance of students' happiness (ADj.R2=0/227). Ethical Considerations: This research was conducted according to the principles of Helsinki, obtaining permission from the participants and after the approval of the ethics committee.

According to the results of study and the fact that happiness forms the basis of an public well-being in societies and has positive consequences such as physical and mental health, favorable production performance and entrepreneurship, so planning for improving the ethical climate of hospitals, training in coping strategies with stress and increase the self-esteem of students must be done to increase the happiness of medical students.