Investigation of Subjective Thermal Sensation and Its Relationship with Stress, Anxiety, Depression and Cognitive Function of Students of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Thermal sensation is not a direct sense of air temperature but is related to people's feelings, sensory experience and psychological phenomenon, which can affect their performance, productivity, attitude and sense of satisfaction. The aim of this study was to determine the subjective thermal sensation and its relationship with stress, anxiety, depression and students' cognitive function.Methods: This study was descriptive-analytical and was performed on 167 male students of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences. Students' subjective thermal sensation was measured on a seven-point scale and ambient temperature and humidity were measured in each student's room. The DASS-42 questionnaire was used to measure stress and anxiety and the "Reaction Timer" device was used to measure the cognitive function. The collected data were analyzed by SPSS software version 20.Results: Students' stress, anxiety and depression were 40%, 47.3% and 41.3%, respectively. The mean temperature of the dormitory was 20.326°C, the mean relative humidity was 56.78% and the subjective thermal sensation of 29.9% of the students were neutral from the ambient temperature. There was a significant relationship between students' subjective thermal sensation and stress, anxiety and mean diagnostic reaction time, color selection, sound selection, number of errors in the diagnostic section and sound selection. Conclusion:Students' subjective sensation of ambient temperature was obtained as a very important and influential factor because in addition to affecting stress and anxiety, it also had a significant effect on their time of diagnostic reaction and selective.