Relationship between coping behavior and mental health of military medical laboratory scientists and technicians
Tan, Y.; Yang, J.; Zhang, F.-F.; Gao, W.-B.
Zhonghua Yi Xue Za Zhi 88(7): 465-467
2008
ISSN/ISBN: 0376-2491 PMID: 18642787 Document Number: 618326
To study the relationship of coping behavior and mental health of military medical researchers and technicians. A cross-sectional survey was conducted, using the self-rating anxiety scale (SAS), self-rating depression scale (SDS), and self-rating scale of coping behavior, among 325 military medical laboratory scientists and technicians with different professional titles. The anxiety and depression scores of the military medical researchers and technicians were 30 +/- 6 and 37 +/- 8 respectively, both significantly lower than those of the national norm (34 +/- 6 and 42 +/- 11 respectively, both P < 0.01). The depression score of the associate chief technicians was 42 +/- 7, significantly higher than those of the medical researchers and technicians with any other professional titles (all P < 0.05), and the anxiety score of the associate chief technicians was 32 +/- 7, significantly higher than that of the research fellows (28 +/- 4, P < 0.05). The seeking help score of the associate chief technicians was 2.8 +/- 0.5, not significantly different from that of the associate research fellows (2.8 +/- 0.5), but significantly lower than those of the military medical researchers and technicians with any other titles (all P < 0.01). The self-blame score of the associate chief technicians was 1.9 +/- 0. 6, significantly higher than that of the assistant research fellows (1.0 +/- 0.6, P <0.01) and that of the research fellows (1.6 +/- 0.6, P <0.05). Correlation and regression analysis showed that active coping behaviors were significantly positively correlated with depression (r1 = -0.519) and anxiety (r3 = -0.348); and negative coping behaviors were significantly negatively correlated with depression (r2 = 0.314) and anxiety (r4 = 0.407). Coping behavior has significant influence on the medical researchers and technician. Increasing seeking help and decreasing self-blame and imagination help release the anxiety and depression among the medical researchers and technicians.