Abstract: Objective: The aim of the study was to improve mental health status of the nurses in a psychiatric hospital by using the Psychological Pressure Relieving Technique. Methods: 60 nurses with at least 30 positive items on SCL-90 were recruited and randomly assigned into intervention group and control group, with 30 nurses in each group. The intervention group was administrated with the Psychological Pressure Relieving Technique. The Symptom Check List (SCL-90), Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and Social Support Rating Scale (SSRS) were rated on all subjects before and after the treatment. Results: After the intervention, the SAS scores were significantly lowered in both groups (P<0.05, respectively). Compared with baseline, the SAS, SDS, PSQI and SSRS scores in intervention group were significantly decreased at post-treatment (P<0.05, respectively). Conclusion: Psychological Pressure Relieving Technique can reduce the psychological stress, anxiety and depression, and improve sleep quality of the nurses in psychiatric hospitals, which may increase the quality of nursing.

Key words: psychiatric nurse, psychological pressure relieving, mental health, anxiety, depression