Abstract: Objective To assess the psychiatric symptoms of recruits during recruit training and study the factors associated with the positive rate of SCL-90. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted in the newly enrolled soldiers in the summer of 2013 using the questionnaires of SCL-90 and CD-RISC. Results There were 3 948 soldiers enrolled in this study. The total score of SCL-90 was (122.6±36.6) among male recruits, which was significantly lower than those of the two Chinese norms (P< 0.05, respectively). In the present study, the score of the physical factor of SCL-90 was the highest (1.54±0.54), followed by obsessivecompulsive symptoms (1.53±0.54) and interpersonal sensitivity (1.41±0.48). The total positive rate of SCL-90 was 24.5%, with democratic family rearing method as the protective factors, and the OR (95% CI ) was 0.786 (0.648 and 0.953), indulgent or neglected family rearing methods were the risk factors of the positive rate of SCL-90, and the ORs (95% CI s) were 1.488 (1.167, 1.897) and 2.034 (1.398, 2.962) respectively. Self-assessment of good health condition was the protective factor of the positive rate of SCL-90, and the OR (95% CI ) was 0.260 (0.184, 0.369). The adjusted ORs (95% CI s) of factors of tenacity, strength and optimism score and the total score of resilience for positive personality disorders were 0.912 (0.902, 0.923), 0.878 (0.863, 0.892), 0.916 (0.890, 0.942)and 0.950 (0.944, 0.956), respectively. Conclusion The level of mental health in this study is better than the norms. Democratic parenting style, self-reported healthy status and higher score of psychological resilience are the protective factors of positive SCL-90.Targeted psychological intervention should be carried out to improve the psychological health of the recruits.