Mental Health According to DISC Behavioral Types in Dental Hygiene Students

Objective: By identifying the relationship between mental health, DISC behavioral types, and stress in clinical practice among dental hygiene students, this study aimed to provide a reference base for developing a variety of tailored educational programs for mental health promotion. Methods: We conducted a survey using self-administered questionnaires distributed to dental hygiene students enrolled in three colleges located in Gyeongsangbuk-do Province between February 19 and 29, 2024. Results: The subjects’mean mental health score was 66.27±36.04. A analysis of the correlation between mental health and each variable established that mental health had a significant negative correlation with behavior types, and a significant positive correlation with clinical practice stress. Factors affecting mental health were selected as significant variables, these variables explained 23% of the variance. Conclusions: To strengthen the mental health of dental hygiene students in today’s rapidly changing environment, a variety of tailored education programs need to be developed and applied by identifying emotional factors influencing students’mental health.