Correlation between social support, personality traits and mental health in antiaircraft artillerymen

Abstract

Objective To quantitatively assess the mental health status and analyze the relationship between social support, personality traits and mental health in antiaircraft artillery personnel. Methods One hundred and forty-five antiaircraft artillerymen were tested with the Social Support Scale, the Symptom Checklist 90(SCL-90), and the Revised Eysenck Personality Questionnaire Short Scale for Chinese (EPQ-RSC). The questionnaires were returned by 143 artillerymen and the data were processed by t-test, pearson correlation analysis and regression analysis. Results Every factor score of SCL-90 was significantly higher than that of civilian cohorts (P < 0.001). The total score(151.88±38.39, P < 0.05) and the scores of somatization (1.63±0.48, P < 0.05), obsessive-compulsiveness (1.95±0.59, P < 0.001), anxiety (1.67±0.51, P < 0.01) and hostility (1.78±0.62, P < 0.01) of SCL-90 were significantly higher than the norm of those of Chinese army men. The utilization of social support showed significant negative correlation with total score (r=－0.205, P < 0.05), interpersonal sensitivity (r=－0.182, P < 0.05), depression (r=－0.200, P < 0.05), paranoid ideation (r=－0.263, P < 0.01), and neuroticism in personality traits (r=－0.241, P < 0.01). There was significant positive correlation between the utilization of social support and EPQ-E (r=0.339, P < 0.01). Every factor of SCL-90 except hostility (r=－0.202 to －0.393, P < 0.05, P < 0.01) showed significant negative correlation with EPQ-E. There was significant positive correlation between most factors of SCL-90 and EPQ-P (except obsessive-compulsive and somatization, r=0.167-0.246, P < 0.05, P < 0.01) and EPQ-N (r=0.386-0.584, P < 0.01). Conclusions The mental health of antiaircraft artillerymen is not so optimistic, and it should be taken care seriously. In addition, we should also pay attention to the effect of utilization of social support and personality trait in improving mental health.