Objective      To investigate the characteritics of the coping styles of high altitude new recruits and the relationship between the coping styles and the life events

social support and personality characteristics

and explore possible influencing paths.        Methods      A total of 539 recruits were tested by the simplified coping style questionnaire (SCSQ)

psychosocial stress survey for groups (PSSG)

perceived social support scale (PSSS) and Eysenck personality questionnaire (EPQ).        Results      Positive coping styles were mostly taken by 409 recruits (75.88%)

with (1.99±0.38) as mean

whereas negative coping styles were rarely used

with (0.97±0.48) as mean. The scores of positive emotion experience

social support and EPQ-extraversion (EPQ-E) in the positive coping style group were significantly higher than those in the passive coping style group (P0.01)

while the scores of life events

negative emotion experience and EPQ-neuroticism (EPQ-N) were significantly lower (P0.01). The positive coping styles were negatively correlated with the life events and EPQ-N (P0.01)

and positively correlated with the social support and EPQ-E (P0.01)

while the negative coping styles were positively correlated with the life events and EPQ-N (P0.01). Social support and personality characteristics had positive prediction influence to the positive coping styles

and other support was the most powerful predictor

which accounted for 25.4% of the total variance. EPQ-N could explain variation of the negative coping styles by 20.8%. Path analytic models revealed that other support had a significant direct impact on the positive coping styles (r=0.304

P0.01)

and friend support increased its influence to the positive coping styles via EPQ-E (r=0.208

P0.01). Life events increased its influence to the negative coping styles of the recruits at high altitude via EPQ-N.        Conclusion      Most recruits at high altitude are more likely to take the positive coping styles when facing problems. Other support and EPQ-E have a positive promoting influence to the positive coping styles. Life events influence the negative coping styles via EPQ-N.