Psychological hardiness is one of the powerful personality characteristics individuals posses that can help them improve their ability to cope with illness and external pressures. Some researchers considered psychological hardiness as a general criterion for mental health. That is, hardiness can depict a total outcome of mental health in individuals.

The present study aimed at comparing psychological hardiness with mental health among students in Paym-e-noor University in the city of Babol, Iran.

A causal-comparative (ex post facto) design was used to carry out this research. All students studying in Babol Payam-e-noor University in academic year 2012–2013 were involved in the statistical population of the research. 200 students were selected through simple random sampling. Tools of this research were both Hardiness and Mental Health Questionnaires used to analyze data with SPSS software.

Results showed a significant difference between psychological hardiness and mental health variables among male and female students. The mean score of illness criteria in male students was significantly higher than that of in female students. Also, the mean score of psychological hardiness variable in female students was higher than that of in male students.

Psychological hardiness is one of the powerful personality characteristics individuals posses that can help them improve their ability to cope with illness and external pressures. Some researchers considered psychological hardiness as a general criterion for mental health. That is, hardiness can depict a total outcome of mental health in individuals.