title: The key stakeholders' opinions regarding university counseling centers: An experience from Iran.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Student counseling centers are responsible for physical, mental and social health of university students. Therefore, this study was conducted to assess the key stakeholders' opinions on different aspects of the activities performed in these centers.
  
  
  METHODS
  This qualitative study used focus group discussion. Key stakeholders including university students and key informants from nine randomly selected medical universities participated in the study. After data saturation, thematic analysis was conducted. Themes were drawn out through constant comparative method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Based on 243 extracted codes and through comparative analysis, four categories were determined, namely students' need for students counseling centers, successes and limitations of student counseling centers, student counseling services priorities, and suggestions for service promotion.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  According to stakeholders' opinions, youth participation in needs assessment and priority setting processes in real-based situations leads to better performance of counseling services. Empowering the counselors is another point required for better outcomes. In addition, strategic planning and monitoring, along with evaluation of programs, could promote the provided services.
authors.affiliation: Deputy of Research and Technology, Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Tehran, Iran And PhD Student, Endocrine and Metabolism Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Niloofar
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Peykari
authors.forename: Fahimeh Ramezani
authors.initials: FR
authors.lastname: Tehrani
authors.forename: Hossein Malek
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Afzali
authors.forename: Monir Baradaran
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Eftekhari
authors.forename: Shirin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Djalalinia