Mediating role of Irrational Beliefs in the Relationship between Healthy, Unhealthy Aspirations and Mental health

The present study was conducted with the aim of presenting the causal model of the effect healthy and unhealthy goals and aspirations on mental health with regard to the mediating role of irrational beliefs. Therefore, 250 studentsfrom Allameh Tabatabaei University were selected through convenience sampling. They were assessed by self-report questionnaire consisted of Satisfaction with four Factors of Irrational Beliefs Test-Ahvaz (4IBT-A; Ebadi and Motamedin, 2005), General Health Questionnaire (28- GHQ; Goldberg & Hiller, 1979), and Aspiration Index (AI; Grouzet et al, 2005). Data analysis was administered in two parts of latent and observed variables via structural equation modeling using AMOS software. Results showed that unhealthy goals and aspirations could predict irrational beliefs positively and healthy goals and aspirations negatively predicted irrational beliefs; healthy goals and aspirations directly and indirectly affected mental health; but unhealthy goals and aspirations had no direct effect on mental health; rather, it can reduce students' mental health by mediating irrational beliefs.Also, irrational beliefs had a causal and direct effect on mental health.