Mental health and leisure time management of university students

Abstract

Background Leisure time is a period that human beings can freely use to relax, have fun play, and improve themselves in accordance with their tendencies and wishes. Leisure time management is very important in maintaining physical and psychological health as it can enhance mood and relieve depression. Aim To assess the relationship between mental health and leisure time management of university students. Patients and methods A descriptive correlational research design was utilized. A stratified random sample of 1059 university students was included. The study was conducted at two randomly selected faculties: Faculty of Nursing (practical) and Faculty of Arts (theoretical) in Cairo University. Tools Personal characteristics sheet, leisure time activity questionnaire, and the Arabic scale for mental health were utilized. Results 59.8% of the studied sample engage moderately in leisure time activities, 54.1% always spend their leisure time in using social networking, and 62.7% of the studied sample had moderate positive indicators of mental health. Moreover, there was a significant correlation between leisure time management and mental health in university students. Conclusion Leisure time activities have significant effect on mental health of university students. This means that students who make effective use of their leisure time have more positive indicators of mental health. Recommendations Raising awareness of university students about useful leisure time activities that enhance their mental health and rationalizing use of social networking