Path analysis on influential factors of mental health in fighter (attacker) pilots

Abstract

Objective To probe into the influences and ways of personality,coping style and emotion to fighter (attacker) pilot's mental health. Methods One hundred fighter pilots were evaluated by SCL-90,Eysenck's personality questionnaire (EPQ),trait anxiety inventory (TAI) and coping style questionnaire (CSQ).The software SPSS 15.0 and Amos 7.0 were used to establish database and implement path analysis. Results ①The scores of somatization ,obsession compulsive ,interpersonal sensitivity,depression,anxiety,hostility,phobic anxiety,paranoid ideation,psychoticism,and total score of SCL-90 were significantly lower in the 100 pilots than those in Chinese healthy people norm (t=3.70-9.97,P<0.01);the scores of somatization,obsession compulsive,interpersonal sensitivity,depression,anxiety,hostility,phobic anxiety,paranoid ideation,psyehoticism,total scores and positive items of SCL-90 were significantly lower in 100 pilots than those in Chinese army man norm (t=6.28-17.86,P<0.01).②neuroticism (0.22<r<0.29),negative coping style (0.21<r<0.43),negative emotion (0.24<r<0.53) were positively correlated with all factors and the total score of SCL-90;positive emotion (0.22<∣r∣<0.32) was negatively correlated with all factors and the total score of SCL-90.③Path analysis showed that negative emotion,personality,positive emotion,negative coping style,positive coping style were the main factors that affected mental health of 100 pilots;Total effects were 0.42,0.37,-0.19,0.17,and -0.02 respectively. Conclusions Fighter (attacker) pilot's mental health is affected by personality,coping style and emotion.Personality indirectly affects pilot's mental health while emotion acts in direct way.Coping style is the intermediary of influence to mental health. Key words: Personality; Adaptation,psychological; Emotions; Questionnaires; Factor analysis,statistical