Relationship between mental health and personality characteristics among junior and senior school students in Shenyang

ObjectiveTo study the status of mental health and its association with personality characteristics among junior and senior school students in Shenyang,and to provide evidence for developing mental health education.MethodsTotally 1499 students from 7 senior and 4 junior schools were selected with stratified cluster sampling and were investigated with questionnaire survey.ResultsThe prevalence of mental health problem among the students was 19.3% (20.7% in boys and 18.2% in girls).The scores of Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire(SDQ)in emotional symptom,conduct problem,hyperactivity/inattention,peer problem,prosocial behaviour and total difficulty scores were 2.9±2.4,2.5±1.8, 3.2±2.1,3.2±1.7,7.3±2.4,and 11.9±6.1,respectively.Compared with SDQ norms,the scores of emotional symptom,conduct problem,peer problem and total difficulty were higher than those of the norms(P<0.01 for all).The scores of Eysenck Personality Questionnaire(EPQ)in introversion,pschoticism,neuroticism,and lie were 17.7±4.8,3.6±3.3, 8.2±5.8,and 15.0±3.8.The results of correlation analysis showed the E and L were positively related with prosocial behaviour(P<0.01),and negatively related with emotional symptom,conduct problem,hyperactivity/inattention,peer problem,and total difficulty score(P<0.01 for all).P and N were negatively related with prosocial behaviour(P<0.01),and positively related with emotional symptom,conduct problem,hyperactivity/inattention,peer problem,and total difficulty score(P<0.01 for all).In stepwise regression analysis,the personality characteristics of E(β=-0.220),P(β=0.195), N(β=0.428),and L(β=-0.172)were significantly associated with mental health and affected mental health among the students(P<0.01).ConclusionThere are mental health problems and personality characteristics has predictive effect on mental health among junior and senior school students in Shenyang city.