Objective: Most studies indicate that the aviation accident frequently produce traumatic
stress reactions in pilots. Critical incident stress debriefing (CISD) is the method of crisis intervention
through talking. CISD can relieve both acute stress disorder (ASD) and post-traumatic stress disorder
(PTSD). However, CISD was seldom applied on the mental health state of pilots who exposed to an
aviation accident when they service in the army. Our investigation was conducted to study the effect
of incident stress debriefing on the psychological health situation of pilots who exposed to an aviation
accident. Methods: 32 pilots were investigated with symptom checklist 90(SCL-90), and social support
revalued scale (SSRS) within 48 hours after air accident. Critical incident stress debriefing was carried
out immediately after assessment. SCL-90 and SSRS were tested again 3 months later. 30 pilots who didn’t suffer the accident in the same time were analyzed and compared. Total SCL-90 score and scores of 10
factors in pilots were significantly higher than those in control group before CISD (p<0.01). After CISD,
total SCL-90 score and scores of 10 factors were significantly decreased than those before CISD except
depression (p<0.01). Depression, anxiety scores of SCL-90 were significantly higher than those in control
group (p<0.01). After CISD, the percentages of total SCL-90 score which had more than 178 points,
positive item which had more than 43 items and scores of 10 factors scores which had more than two
points were significantly decreased than those before CISD. Total SCL-90 score and scores of 10 factors
were no significant difference 3 months before and after in control group (p>0.05). In SSRS measurement,
score of the internal and external tendency scale was significantly lower than those in control group
before CISD (p<0.01).After CISD, scores of the objective and subjective support ,utilization of social
support, and support total score were significantly higher than those in control group before CISD (p<0.05,
p<0.01).Scores of the objective and subjective support and support total score were significantly higher
than those in control group after 3 months (p>0.05). Scores of SSRS were no significant difference 3
months before and after in control group (p>0.05). Results: As important stressor, aviation accident
had negative impact on mental health of pilots, including depression, anxiety, somatization, obsessivecompulsive
disorder, and lunacy. Some pilots expressed obvious interpersonal problems, such as being
alone, afraid of social, and refusing to communicate. Pilots who have suffered accident have lower mental
health level, poorer coping style, smaller social support utilization. Critical incident stress debriefing
is systematic model of crisis intervention, which can effectively relieve acute stress disorder and posttraumatic
stress disorder. Through critical incident stress debriefing, psychological health situation and
social support show significant improvement. Meanwhile, some items were still abnormal after CISD,
including depression, anxiety scores in SCL-90. Conclusion: The results clearly showed CISD could
significantly improve the psychological health situation of pilots who exposed to an aviation accident, and
the psychological intervention should be continuous and comprehensive.