Objective:To investigate the mental health of freshmen in Xiamen University. Methods: A total of 2 226 freshmen of 1998 from Xiamen University completed the SCL-90. Results: There were 153 students who scored above 3 on one or more sub-scales. The most common mental health problems were compulsion, interpersonal sensitivity, and paranoia. Students from the College of Foreign Language, Art Education, Medicine, and Humanities reported more mental problems than those from the College of Computer and Information Engineering, Physics and Electromechanical Engineering. Girls were more likely to suffer from phobic anxiety, depression, somatization, anxiety, and interpersonal sensitivity than boys, and they were less hostile than boys. Conclusion: The mental health conditions were found to be different for students from different colleges and departments. There was also significant gender difference in major mental health problems.
