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.