title: Factors associated with the psychological well-being and distress of university students.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Because of the serious nature of psychiatric illness and related problems, the authors attempted to identify demographic, individual, and behavioral factors linked to university students' psychological health.
  
  
  METHODS
  They surveyed 353 (60.9% female) predominantly Caucasian (88.7%) university students attending a large public university.
  
  
  METHODS
  The authors used a self-report questionnaire including valid and reliable psychometric instruments for all study variables. They conducted multiple regression analyses to examine associations among study variables using a cross-sectional design.
  
  
  RESULTS
  More favorable health states (ie, greater psychological well-being and less distress) were positively associated with optimism, health values, and religiousness and were negatively associated with spirituality and number of sexual partners.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results demonstrated that multiple protective and risk factors contribute to the psychological well-being and distress of university students. Health promotion practitioners should adopt strategies that strengthen the personality characteristics and values associated with university students' psychological health.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506-0044, USA.
authors.forename: Jessica L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Burris
authors.forename: Emily H
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Brechting
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Salsman
authors.forename: Charles R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Carlson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003710:Demography; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012067:Religion; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000523:psychology; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000523:psychology; D014495:Universities; D055815:Young Adult