Correlation between Mental Health and Family Environment of Preschool Children after Lushan Earthquake

Objective To assess family factors that affect mental health of preschool children in Lushan earthquake area, in order to provide a scientific basis for improving preschool children's mental health and family environment.

Methods Using random sampling method, 700 preschool children from the disaster area in Lushan (earthquake group) and 300 from a nondisaster area in Fuyang, Anhui (control croup) were selected and evaluated using a parent-completed psychological assessment scale for preschool children and a parent-completed family environment scale. Between-group comparisons were performed by group t test, and associations were assessed by correlation analysis and regression analysis.

Results A total of 628 and 260 valid questionnaires were returned. The scores of total mental health problems (125.281±7.344), mood disorders (2.135±0.199), character flaws (1.834±0.239), poor social adaptation (1.640±0.219), and other disorders (1.902±0.237) in the earthquake group were higher than those of the control group (115.860±8.584, 1.672±0.227, 1.798±0.263, 1.614±0.248, and 1.526±0.189, respectively) (all Ps<0.05). The earthquake group also showed lower scores of independence (5.020±1.956), achievement orientation (2.977±1.901), intellectual-culture orientation (3.973±1.775), and active-recreational orientation (3.025±1.433) than the control group (5.265±1.406, 6.445±1.345, 4.250±1.761, and 4.120±1.520, respectively) (all Ps<0.05). Negative correlations were found between cohesion of family environment and mood disorders/character flaws (r=-0.147, -0.087), achievement orientation and conduct disorders (r=-0.112), intellectual-culture orientation and mood disorders/character flaws/poor social adaptation/conduct disorders (r=-0.130, -0.127, -0.112, -0.092), active-recreational orientation and mood disorders (r=-0.196), and organization orientation and other disorders (r=-0.089) (all Ps<0.05 or Ps<0.01). By contrast, positive correlations were found between conflict of family environment and mood disorders/character flaws (r=0.208, 0.174, Ps<0.01). The results of stepwise regression analysis showed active-recreation orientation (x₁), cohesion (x₂), expressiveness (x₃), and intellectual-cultural orientation (x₅) were positive predictors of preschool children's psychological well-being; however, conflict (x₄) was a negative predictor. The regression equation was ŷ=1.745x₁+1.608x₂+0.924x₃-0.307x₄+0.650x₅, which explained 82% of the covariance.

Conclusion The preschool children's mental health in Lushan earthquake area is poor in general. Active-recreational orientation, cohesion, expressiveness, and intellectual-cultural orientation are the important factors influencing their mental health.