Happiness and its correlation with spiritual well-being and attitude toward future career among medical students in Shiraz, Iran: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

The present study aimed to determine happiness and its correlation with spiritual well-being and attitude toward future career among medical students. Although previous studies have investigated happiness, spiritual well-being, or career-related attitudes separately, and a limited number have examined some of these variables together, evidence regarding their simultaneous relationships among medical students remains limited, particularly in Middle Eastern settings. This cross-sectional study was conducted on medical students at Shiraz University of Medical Sciences in 2024–2025. A total number of 394 students (238 females and 156 males) were selected using stratified random sampling technique. Data collection tools were Oxford Happiness Questionnaire [35], Spiritual Well-Being Scale [37], and a questionnaire assessing students’ attitudes toward their field of study. Bivariate and multivariate analyses, including linear regression, were performed. The study results showed a positive and significant association between spiritual well-being (B = 0.166, 95% CI: 0.140–0.195, p < 0.001) and attitude toward future career (B = 0.097, 95%CI:0.053–0.142, p < 0.001) with happiness among medical students. Spiritual well-being demonstrated the strongest standardized association with happiness. Also, there was a relationship between the economic status of students (B=-1.363, 95%CI:-2.482_ -0.243, p = 0.017) and their families (B = 3.721, 95%CI:1.154_6.447, p = 0.006) with happiness. Accordingly, better economic status was associated with greater happiness. Based on the results of the present study, higher spiritual well-being and more positive attitudes toward future career were associated with greater happiness among medical students. These findings may help inform student support initiatives and future educational research.