Objective  To understand the psychological adaptation of new firefighters and their correlation with coping styles, interpersonal relationships and locus of control.

  Methods  A survey was carried out on 122 newly recruited firefighters in Yunnan Province using the military mental maladjustment questionnaire, the Simplified Coping Style Questionnaire and Internality, Powerful Others, and Chance Scale. The survey results were analyzed using methods such as correlation analysis and multiple stepwise linear regression.

  Results  The average score of positive coping style of new firefighters was higher than the norm, while the average score of negative coping style was lower than the norm (P < 0.01). The scores of internality, powerful others and chance scale of new firefighters were lower than the norms of national youth (P < 0.01);the average scores of behavioral problems, emotional disorders, poor interpersonal relationship and environmental maladjustment in the military mental maladjustment questionnaire were significantly lower than those in the national norm of army soldiers and male soldiers(P < 0.01). The results of multiple linear regression analysis showed that: (1) compared with the new firefighters having "so-so" relationship with their comrades in arms, the total score of maladjustment, behavior problem factor score, emotional disorder factor score, interpersonal relationship factor score and environmental maladjustment score of new firefighters with "good" relationship decreased by 3.555, 0.092, 0.080, 0.137 and 0.086, respectively.(2)The total score of maladjustment and the factor score of emotional disorder increased by 0.164 and 0.008 respectively when the score of opportunity scale increased by 1 point.(3) The score of internal control scale increased by 1 point, the total score of maladjustment and the factor score of poor interpersonal relationship increased by 0.105 and 0.004 respectively.(4) The positive coping score increased by 1 point, and the behavior problem factor score decreased by 0.037 points(P < 0.05).

  Conclusion  Compared with the army and male soldiers, new firefighters had better adaptation to the environment and adopt more positive coping styles. The relationship with comrades in arms, psychological control ability and coping style can affect the maladjustment of new firefighters to a certain extent. In order to promote new firefighters to better adapt to army life, new firefighters should be guided to establish good interpersonal relationships, make career planning and enhance their sense of psychological control.