SPORT AND MENTAL HEALTH LEVEL AMONG UNIVERSITY STUDENTS

Purpose: study of mental health level of university student, athletes and non-athletes. Material: The tested group consisted of 160 male and female undergraduates from Ouargla University, Algeria; 80 studentsathletes from Institute of Physical Education and Sports and 80 students-non-athletes from Department of Psychology, English and Mathematics. In the study we used health mental scale, adapted by Diab (2006) to Arab version scale, formed from five dimensions (Competence and self-confidence, Capacity for social interaction, Emotional maturity, Freedom from neurotic symptoms, self rating and aspects of natural deficiencies). Results: the findings indicated that university students have high level of mental health. And the mean of the responses of students-athletes group by mental health scale reached (M = 32.40), with standard deviation (STD =5.83), while the mean of the responses of students-non athletes group by mental health scale has reached (M=27.47), with standard deviation (STD=7.88). T-value, required to know significance of differences between means of studentsathletes and students-non athletes has reached (T=4.51), (DF=185, p <0.01). So there are significant statistical differences between student athletes and non-athletes in their responses by mental health scale in favor of the student athletes. Conclusion: sports are beneficial in respect to mental health among university students and emphasizing the importance of the mental health of university students through its integration in the various recreational and competitive activities. Future qualitative research, covering multi-variables’ tests on mental health and others psychological characteristics could be performed in sports area.


PHYSICAL EDUCATION OF STUDENTS
The purpose of study Taking into account the evidence to suggest that sports are beneficial for mental health, and that university students are at elevated risk of such problems, the following study sought to investigate the impact of sports on mental health level among university students.
For the purpose of this study, the research study questions were as follows: SQ1.What's the level of health mental among university students?SQ2.Are there significant differences in the level of mental health between student athletesand nonathletes?
The Hypotheses HY1.There is high level of mental health among university students.HY2.There are significant differences in the level of mental health between student athletes and nonathletes.

Participants
The sample of study consisted of 160 male and female undergraduates students from Ouargla University Algeria; 80 students' athletes from Institute of Physical Education and Sports and 80 students' non-athletes from Department of Psychology, English and Mathematics (figure.1).Participants were selected randomly.

Student athletes
Student non-athletes

Institute of physical educational Psychology English Mathematics
The first 20

Tool
In this study, Scale of Mental Health was used to collect data.adapted by Diab (2006) to Arab version, scale formed from five dimensions (Competence and self-confidence, Capacity for social interaction, Emotional maturity, Freedom from neurotic symptoms, self-rating and aspects of natural deficiencies).
To ensure the psychometric properties of the scale, it has been applied on 30 students; as the value of validity scale (T= 7.91) level of significance (0.01).The reliability was done, the value of Cronbach's alpha coefficient equal to (0.67) and the value of Spearman-Brown coefficient equal to (0.87).

Data analysis
Data analysis was carried out with the help of statistical packet for social sciences (SPSS) 20.00 software program.The results were presented as descriptive statistics.Regarding the correct tool, there is in front of each item estimate balance consists of one degree, where the "no" give (0) and "Yes" to give (1).

Results
In this section, the findings obtained from the data analysis related Sports and mental health level among university students are given in detail.Findings concerning the level of mental health among university students are shown in table 1.In table 1, the number of students with high mental health has reached (s= 136), percentage (85%).While the number of students with low mental health has reached (s=24), percentage (15%).Thus, we can conclude that the level of mental health among students is high.
In table 2, mean values of students-athletes group's responses by mental health scale has reached (M = 32.40), with standard deviation (STD =5.83), while the mean values of students-non athletes group's responses by mental health scale has reached (M=27.47),with standard deviation (STD=7.88).T -value (to know significance of differences between means of group student athletes and group students' athletes) has reached (T=4.51),(DF=185, p <0.01).So, there are significant statistical differences between students-athletes and non-athletes in their responses by mental health scale in favor of students-athletes.

Discussion
The study, which was carried out in order to determine the level of mental health among students, revealed some important information, findings, and results.As results of this study, it was concluded that the students in university had high level of mental health.
This study differs from most previous studies, except the work of Samin ( 2012), who showed that there was high personal compatibility among university students.This difference exists due to nature of the mentioned studies' goals as well as different characteristics of the samples in their sex, age, and cultural/social background.Based on the above, and the result of our findings of the first hypothesis, it is clear that there are factors helping students, such as social conditions, stable economic and situations, making them to feel self-importance as well as enabling them to cope with the psychological effects of life difficulties that might pass out during the study.These factors contribute to the sharp rise in the degree of psychological and social compatibility, and represent a kind of moral support, stimulating students' abilities to cope with various difficulties.Ganellen et al. (1984) referred that these factors mitigate the impact pressure on the individual, and strengthen psychological sources, and increase individual's sense of value and importance.
Basing on results we concluded that there were significant differences between students-athletes and students-non athletes in level of mental health.Perhaps sports activities affect the various aspects of personality and growth, and also develop some life needs of students, thus influencing on their behavior and personality.For example, opportunity for social interaction (Crone et al.2005), psycho-social, such as positive emotional experiences (Carless and Douglass, 2004;Carless & Sparkes, 2008;Crone, 2007), sense of achievement (Fogarty and Happell,2005) and improvements in general mental wellbeing (Laforge et al., 2002), are positively influenced on by sport activity as well as moderate depression (Craft, 2005;Craft & Perna, 2004) and anxiety (Biddle & Mutrie, 2001).Sports activity promotes self-confidence Larry (1983) referred that physical exercises let college men to be more satisfied, more outgoing, sociable and confident.

Conclusion
Finally, there is high level of mental health among university students in University Ouargla, and there are significant differences between students-athletes and students-non athletes.Thus, sports have potential to be of benefit for mental health of university students and emphasize importance of the mental health of university students through its integration in the various recreational and competitive activities.
Future qualitative research, covering multi-variables' tests on mental health and others psychological characteristics could be performed in sports area.
Distribution the members of sample

Table 1 .
Distribution percentages for members of sample on the mental health scale

Table 2 .
Significance of differences in the mental health level of the tested sample