Effect of psychological intervention and other education on mental health status in recruits

AIM: To compare the effects of 3 educational modespsychological intervention, hygienic knowledge and military-political training on the mental health of recruits. METHODS: Three hundred recruits were divided into 3 groups: psychological intervention group A (n=100), hygienic knowledge group B (n=100) and military-political training group C (n=100), and were tested with SCL-90. The scores of SCL-90 were compared before and after the adoption of the modes (with a 3-month interval) and the effects of each educational mode were analyzed. RESULTS: The scores of SCL-90 except obsessive-compulsive, phobic anxiety and psychotic's factors in group A and the scores except obsessive-compulsive, phobic anxiety, paranoid ideation and psychotic's factors in group B showed significant differences before and after the education (P0.05), but no significant difference was found in the score of SCL-90 except hostility factor in group C (P0.05). A significant difference was found between group A and group B except obsessive-compulsive, phobic anxiety, interpersonal-sensitivity and psychotic's factors (P 0.01), between group B and group C except obsessive-compulsive, phobic anxiety, paranoid ideation, psychotics, hostility and interpersonal-sensitivity factors (P0.05), and between group A and group C except obsessive-compulsive, interpersonal-sensitivity and psychotic's factors (P0.01). CONCLUSION: Systematic psychological intervention is a good way to improve the mental health status of recruits.