Changes in Mental Health of Chinese Army during 1990-2016：A cross-temporal meta-analysis

Abstract Background: China has undergone tremendous social changes, which creates a moderately prosperous society. With the reforms of economic and national defense, Chinese armies’ mental health status might also have changed over the past decades. Methods: The present study examined the changes in mean scores on Symptom Checklist 90 (SCL-90) of 358 studies (N=275, 123) from 1990 to 2016 by the cross-temporal meta-analysis. Results: It was found that mental health status of Chinese army has been getting better since the 1990s. Meanwhile, there were significant negative correlations between mental health scores and social indicators (consumption level of residents, military budget, subsidies for military families). Conclusions: This changing trend may be related to the level of social economic development. It indicates that Chinese national defense and military reform are heading in the right direction as well.