Mental Health Stigma - Impact and Interventions

Research shows that negative stereotyping leads to social stigmatization of those with mental illness resulting in self-stigmatization, lower self-esteem, diminished self-efficacy, and limited access to social support and mental health services for those with mental illness. Few studies have been conducted to identify who is most predisposed to be supportive of those with mental illness and who may be willing to advocate for greater access to services. The purpose of this study is to clarify who is most open to support and advocate for those with mental illness. Responses from a sample of 48 volunteer college students to a researcher-developed survey of attitudes towards mental illness were analyzed to determine which demographic factors were related to more accepting attitudes of those with mental illness. Results yielded significant main effects for gender F (1, 47) = 5.49, p \u3c .05, and for those who have a relative with a mental illness, F (1, 47) = 17.82, p \u3c .01. Results suggest that females and relatives of those with mental illness are more accepting and could be targeted to help reduce mental health stigma by advocating for, and serving as allies to, those with mental illnesses

Attitudes of psychology and social work students towards people with mental illness

Tikslas – išanalizuoti psichologijos ir socialinio darbo programų studentų nuostatų dėl psichikos liga sergančių asmenų ypatumus. Metodika. Tyrime dalyvavo 207 psichologijos (68,6 proc.) ir socialinio darbo (31,4 proc.) bakalauro bei magistro studijų programas studijuojantys studentai. Vidutinis tiriamųjų amžius – 22,3 metų. Remiantis moksline literatūra specialiai šiam tyrimui buvo sudaryti keli skirtingi psichikos ligos stigmą tiriantys instrumentai bei taikytos jau egzistuojančios skalės. Vertintos tokios psichikos ligos stigmos apraiškos, kaip atsiribojimas nuo psichikos liga sergančių asmenų, stigmatizuojan- čių emocijų (baimės, gailesčio, pykčio) stiprumas, įsitikinimai dėl psichikos ligų, nuostatos dėl psichikos liga sergančiųjų integracijos į bendruomenę ir pagalbos siekimo stigma. Taip pat vertintas tiriamųjų siekis sudaryti teigiamą įspūdį apie save. Rezultatai. Tyrimo rezultatai parodė, kad vyresnių kursų studentai labiau pritaria psichikos liga sergančių asmenų integracijai į bendruomenę. Taip pat stebima tendencija, jog vyresni studentai labiau pritaria nuostatai, kad psichikos liga yra pastovi, ir patiria mažiau baimės susidurdami su psichikos liga sergančiais asmenimis. Stipresnis psichologijos ir socialinio darbo programų studentų siekis atsiriboti nuo kontaktų su psichikos ligomis sergančiais asmenimis buvo susijęs su stipresniu baimės, gailesčio ar pykčio išgyvenimu bei labiau išreikštomis šių asmenų integraciją į bendruomenę ribojančiomis nuostatomis. Taip pat nustatyta, jog studentai, turintys kreipimosi į psichikos sveikatos specialistus patirties, pasižymi mažesniu atsiribojimu ir mažiau išreikšta pagalbos siekimo stigma. [...]The aim of this study was to analyze attitudes of psychology and social work students towards people with mental illness. Methods. 207 psychology (68.6 %) and social work (31.4 %) students (mean age 22.3) from bachelors and masters programs (from first to sixth year of the studies) participated in the study. Students answered several questionnaires addressing different forms of stigma related to mental illness. Measures of social distance, stigmatizing emotions, causal attribution, community attitudes and stigma of mental health seeking, as well as, social desirability were employed. Results. Statistical analysis revealed that master program students more strongly support integration of people with mental illness into communities. Statistical tendency was observed for decreased fear of people with mental illness but increased belief that mental illnesses are stable and longstanding. Stronger fear was related to higher social distance and more negative community attitudes toward mental illness. Students, who had been used mental health services by themselves, reported lower social distance and had less expressed stigma of help seeking. The tendency for a relationship between working with people with mental illness and lower social distance, as well as, more positive community attitudes was also observed. [...]Psichologijos katedraVytauto Didžiojo universiteta

Global partnerships: bringing the world to your university

ISSN 2374-2399 (Online)Explored in this article is a model for the creation and maintenance of an international collaboration between universities in the area of mental health. A step-by-step process is described followed by its real life application to a joint research study currently underway. Finally, the implications of such a model are explored to minimize mistakes and enhance the positive effects of International collaboration for students, faculty, and university administrationPsichologijos katedraVytauto Didžiojo universiteta