Association between different coping style and stress reaction in naval afloat personnel

Abstract

Objective To investigate the association between coping style and stress reaction in different naval afloat personnel, so as to provide evidence for psychological intervention during their stay in the sanatorium. Methods A questionnaire survey was conducted on the 492 stratified random-clustered navy afloat personnel who were admitted into the sanatorium for refreshment by using the the Coping Style Scale and Stress Reaction Questionnaire(SRQ). Results On the whole, mature coping style was the main coping style in the navy afloat personnel, with the problem-solving scores being 0.59±0.27 and the seeking help scores being 0.52±0.28. However, in immature coping style, illusion scores(0.49±0.22)and evasion scores(0.46±0.28)were all rather high. Age, educational background and occupation were the main factors affecting coping style. For the navy afloat personnel below the age of 20, the evasion scores were obviously high(F=3.155, P=0.014). For the navy afloat personnel with college education, the problem-solving scores were significantly higher than those with university graduate education(F=2.614, P=0.035). With regard to the submarine personnel, the self-reproach scores were lower than those of the surface ship crew and the divers(F=3.260, P=0.039). Related analyses indicated that problem-solving scores were negatively correlated with total stress response scores(r=0.139), physiological reaction scores(r=0.100), behavior reaction scores(r=0.133)and psychological reaction scores(r=0.119). Self-reproach scores were positively correlated to physiological response scores(r=0.098). Rationalization scores were negatively correlated with physiological response scores(r=0.096). Regression analysis showed that problem-solving was the predictive factor of stress response. Conclusions The coping style of navy afloat personnel was the mainly mature coping style, however, immature coping style still accounted for quite a large proportion. Intensified training on mature coping style should be performed on those navy afloat personnel with low age and high educational background, and the divers as well. Coping style was closely associated with stress reactions, and good coping style could obviously reduce adverse stress reactions in navy afloat personnel. Key words: Navy afloat personnel; Coping style; Stress reaction