Effect of stress reduction program on mental health of soldiers

    LIU Qingª²Feng, WANG Jiaª²Tong, ZHAO Jinª²Ping, HUANG Yinª²Liang, ZHANG Tieª²Guang

    1Department of Psychology, School of Aerospace Medicine, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi¬ðan 710033, China, 2PLA 68332 Unit, Weinan 714000, China

    ¡¾Abstract¡¿AIM: To study the effect of stress reduction program which combines the relaxation technique and reasonª²emotion education on the mental health of soldiers in their routine military lives. METHODS: One hundred and ninetyª²three soldiers were selected and divided into 3 groups: stress reduction program group (SRP, n=63), relaxation training group(RT, n=64) and control group (C, n=66). For 8 weeks, stress reduction program was performed in SRP group and progressive relaxation training in RT group, respectively. In C group, no training and only psychological test was performed. Symptom Checklist 90 (SCLª²90) and Index of Wellª²Being were used to assess the effect. RESULTS: After the intervention, the difference of the total score of SCLª²90 and some indicators, such as somatization, obsessiveª²compulsive disorder and psychoticism were significant (P<0.05). The total score of SCLª²90 and the factor scores of obsessiveª²compulsive disorder, depression, paranoid and psychoticism in the SRP group were significantly lower than those of the control group (P<0.05). The factor of somatization in the RT group was significantly lower than that of the control group (P<0.05). There was no significant difference (P>0.05) in the score of Index of Wellª²Being. CONCLUSION: Stress reduction program is an effective measure to improve the mental health of the soldiers in their routine military lives. ......