A Study on the Psychological State and Academic Performance of Nursing Students at Shiraz School of Nursing andMidwifery Shiraz, Iran

Student life is an exciting and challenging era. During this period, all students must
have more mental health and self-reliance so that they can achieve success in their education and
career. Since the major part of academic success depends on the students' psychological state, this
study was conducted to investigate the psychological status and academic performance of nursing
students at the School of Nursing and Midwifery in Shiraz.
Method: In this cross-sectional study, the psychological state of 144 nursing students was
evaluated based on a mental syndrome questionnaire (SCL-90-R). After collecting the
questionnaires, the students were divided into two main groups, without psychological problems
and with psychological problems, based on the scores obtained. At the end of the course, their
educational status as well as the rate of academic failure were determined in both groups.
Result: Data analysis showed that 42.2% had signs of psychological disorders, but there was no
statistically significant correlation between their demographic characteristics and semesterly GPA
(15.98±2.10) and their mental status (p>0.05). However, there was a significant correlation
between the psychological state of an individual and the level of interest in the field (p<0.05)
Discussion and Conclusion: Students are exposed to psychological disorders due to their special
circumstances and this can affect their educational status. It is necessary to take special measures
in order to pave the ground to prevent such disorders in universities.