Introduction: Attitudes play an important role in directing human behaviors to goals, being aware of outcomes and efficient processing of complex information about the life world. People preparedness for accepting and supporting mentally ill persons has a great impact on patients’ successful integration in the society. The study aimed at assessing the attitude of nursing students toward mental illnesses.

Methods: In this descriptive-analytical study, a census sample of 153 nursing students who were studying in second semester was participated (Total numbers of study population). Data was gathered using a two-part questionnaire consisted of demographic characteristics and a 34 items questionnaire on attitude toward mental illnesses (OMI). Data were analyzed by SPSS (version 11.5) software.

Results: The results indicate that participants’ mean scores of OMI, was higher than the test’s average score and students had a positive attitude toward mental illnesses (117/44±13/18). One-way analysis of variance showed a significant mean difference among students in different education years (F=6.69, p≤0.001). In general, nursing students didn’t believe much on isolation, restrictions, hiding the illness and stigmatization but on sympathy and compassion, good treatment progress and some stereotypical negative behaviors of patients.

Conclusion: Even though students’ positive attitude was higher than the average score, but considering negative attitude in having stereotyping thoughts on mental illnesses, there is a need for more attention of nursing instructors in including profound discussions in order to recognize the sources of such attitudes and correcting them through educational plans.