BACKGROUND: As a stressor, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)caused great psychological pressure during its outbreak in 2003 and SARSpatients suffered a sustained psychological stress. Investigation of the correlation of SARS onset with its psychology and etiology is now ongoing and the roles that the psychological factors might play in the disease course of SARS remain undefined.OBJECTIVE: To study the psychological status of SARS patients in the recovery stage so as to provide evidence to assist the resolution of their psychological problems.DESIGN: A sampling survey based on SARS patients.SETTING: Department of Rehabilitation with Breathing Exercise, Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine.PARTICIPANTS: SARS patients in the recovery stage, whose conditions were controlled and showed signs of improvement, were selected from the Third Disease Department and other departments, Beijing Geriatrics Hospital between April and June in 2003.INTERVENTIONS: Psychological status of SARS patients in the recovery stage was assessed with Symptom Check List (SCL-90) and Trait Coping Style Questionnaire (TCSQ).MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:①Psychological statrs of SARS patients in the recovery stage;②differences of SCL-90 scores of SARS patients in the recovery stage in relation to sexes ,ages and education.RESULTS:①The somatization symptom scores of SARS patients in recovery stage in relation to sexes, ages and education.ery stage were significantly higher than norm( P ＜ 0.05), but those for compulsion, personal relationship, hostility and paranoia were significantly( P ＜ 0.05)②The somatization and anxiety scores of female patients were significantly higher than the female norm. Except somatization and psychoticism, the other factors of male patients had lower scores than norm. Moreover, the scores of SCL-90, somatization, anxiety and phobia in male SARS patients were significantly lower than those in female patients.③All factors in the aged group(50-60) scored less than those in other age groups, but scores for anxiety and somatization in patients between 30 -40years of age were obviously higher than those in other age groups, suggesting greater inpact of these two factors in these age group.④Patients receiving higher education had significantly lower scores for all factors except for somatization and anxiety than those with lower education.⑤Patients who used negative coping style had higher scores for all factors in SCL-90 than those who used positive coping style.CONCLUSION: The psychological status of SARS patients in the recovery stage are basically normal, but the anxiety of the female patients can be increased obviously, and the patients with lower education and those who use negative coping style have significant different psychology from other patients.