Effects of systematic mental intervention on mental health, personality and coping style in recruits

Objective 　To observe the effects of systematic mental intervention, with combined centralized teaching, group interview and individual consulting, on mental health, personality and coping style in recruits, and explore an optimal intervention model for recruits' mental health. Methods 　Two thousand and sixteen recruits in one unit were involved in the present study, among them 1064 were allocated to study group, and the remaining 952 to control group. Recruits in study group received centralized teaching with battalion as a unit, and received group interview in squad or platoon as a unit, and meanwhile individual interview was conducted. Symptoms Checklist-90 (SCL-90), Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ) and Simplified Coping Style Questionnaire (SCSQ) were filled one month after they were enlisted in the army and 3 days before the training ended. Recruits in control group undertook the same tests mentioned above only 3 days before the training ended. Results 　The total score and factor scores except hostility in SCL-90 test were significantly lower after than before systematic mental intervention (P<0.05), the hostility score was slightly higher than before intervention but with no statistical significance (P>0.05). The total score and factor scores except paranoia in SCL-90 test were significantly lower in study group than in control group after intervention (P<0.05). Scores of extraversion-introversion tendency and nervousness were significantly lower after than before intervention (P<0.001), the scores of psychoticism and social lie were slightly higher but with no statistical significance (P>0.05), the score of active coping was significantly higher (P<0.001), and of negative coping was significantly lower (P<0.001) after than before intervention. The ratio of the score over 2 and above declined obviously (P<0.05) in neurosis, SCL-90 abnormality, SCL-90 total scores, number of positive items, somatization, obsession, interpersonal sensitivity, depression, anxiety, hostility, phobia, paranoid, and psychotic factor after than before intervention in recruits. Conclusion 　Systematic mental intervention, which consisted of combined centralized teaching, group interview and individual consulting, may promote the mental health, personality and coping style in recruits.