Attitude of person living with psychosis towards MH professionals: A qualitative study

2017 ◽  
Vol 41 (S1) ◽  
pp. s843-s843
Author(s):  
K. Vaiphei ◽  
P. Sreedaran ◽  
V. Sathyanarayanan

AimsStudies investigating attitudes of people with mental illness are scarce. The aim of the present study was to investigate person living with psychosis on their attitudes and perception towards the mental health professionals in contact with mental health services.MethodsAn in-depth interview was used to explore their lived experiences and attitude towards mental health professionals.ResultsBoth negative and positive attitudes were prevalent among the patients. Most negative attitudes concerned on not giving time, the MHPs are most interested in financial gains. They felt attitude changes according to diagnosis, psychosis perceived as diagnosis with violence; they are more interested in protecting themselves, perception that treating symptoms and not cause of illness. On the contrary, they felt positive on the relationship and time given to them.Discussion and conclusions The PLWI's attitude to MHPs could be a product of the type of admission (forced upon), symptoms related or on the type of service settings. The present study is purely qualitative, single settings, could not be generalised. However it points on the need for sensitization of MHPs and relationship building oriented intervention.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 205510291876541 ◽  
Author(s):  
Grenville Rose ◽  
Courtney von Hippel ◽  
Loren Brener ◽  
Bill von Hippel

Research suggests that stigma impacts help-seeking behaviour and health outcomes for people affected by mental illness. This study compared the attitudes of Australian non-governmental organisation support workers towards people with mental illness with those of other health professionals. Three hundred and seventy four support workers were randomly allocated to answer questions about one of the six vignettes. Results indicated that non-governmental organisation support workers held more positive attitudes towards people with mental illness than those of general practitioners, psychiatrists and psychologists measured in prior research. These results suggest that non-governmental organisations may be a more positive and comfortable entry and referral point for mental health clients.


1984 ◽  
Vol 54 (2) ◽  
pp. 475-481 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth V. Swenson ◽  
Ruth Ragucci

Research and theoretical notions on the relationship between mental health and androgyny have yielded contradictory statements. In the present study 42 practicing psychotherapists were asked to rate the mentally healthy person (sex unspecified), man, and woman on the Bem Sex-role Inventory. Analysis showed that masculine was the preferred category for the person, with androgynous more often used to describe the man and undifferentiated, the woman. Male and female ratees differed significantly in masculinity and femininity in the expected direction with the person midway between. Sex-role stereotyping remains prevalent among mental health professionals.


2016 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 84-93 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Picco ◽  
E. Abdin ◽  
S. Pang ◽  
J. A. Vaingankar ◽  
A. Jeyagurunathan ◽  
...  

Aims.The ability to recognise a mental illness has important implications as it can aid in timely and appropriate help-seeking, and ultimately improve outcomes for people with mental illness. This study aims to explore the association between recognition and help-seeking preferences and stigmatising attitudes, for alcohol abuse, dementia, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and schizophrenia, using a vignette-based approach.Methods.This was a population-based, cross-sectional survey conducted among Singapore Residents (n = 3006) aged 18–65 years. All respondents were asked what they think is wrong with the person in the vignette and who they should seek help from. Respondents were also administered the Personal and Perceived sub scales of the Depression Stigma Scale and the Social Distance Scale. Weighted frequencies and percentages were calculated for categorical variables. A series of multiple logistic and linear regression models were performed separately by vignette to generate odd ratios and 95% confidence intervals for the relationship between help-seeking preference, and recognition and beta coefficients and 95% confidence intervals for the relationship between stigma and recognition.Results.Correct recognition was associated with less preference to seek help from family and friends for depression and schizophrenia. Recognition was also associated with increased odds of endorsing seeking help from a psychiatric hospital for dementia, depression and schizophrenia, while there was also an increased preference to seek help from a psychologist and psychiatrist for depression. Recognition was associated with less personal and perceived stigma for OCD and less personal stigma for schizophrenia, however, increased odds of social distancing for dementia.Conclusion.The ability to correctly recognise a mental illness was associated with less preference to seek help from informal sources, whilst increased preference to seek help from mental health professionals and services and less personal and perceived stigma. These findings re-emphasise the need to improve mental health literacy and reinforce the potential benefits recognition can have to individuals and the wider community in Singapore.


2013 ◽  
Vol 37 (5) ◽  
pp. 654 ◽  
Author(s):  
Grenville Rose ◽  
Elena Cama ◽  
Loren Brener ◽  
Carla Treloar

Objectives People with mental illness are at significantly higher risk of acquiring hepatitis C virus (HCV) compared with the general population. This study assessed knowledge of and attitudes towards people with HCV and people who inject drugs (PWID) among support workers of clients with mental illness. Methods Support workers from a community managed organisation (CMO) in Australia were recruited to complete an online cross-sectional survey. The survey collected data about their knowledge of HCV and attitudes towards PWID and people with HCV. Results Valid responses were received from 117 support workers. Although HCV knowledge was moderate, there were significant knowledge gaps around transmission and treatment of HCV. Higher HCV knowledge was significantly associated with more positive attitudes towards PWID, but not with attitudes towards people with HCV. Participants had more positive attitudes towards people with HCV than towards PWID. Additionally, those with more positive attitudes towards HCV tended to also have more positive attitudes towards PWID. Conclusions Given that people with mental illness are at higher risk of acquiring HCV, these results point to the need for education targeted at support workers of clients with mental illness to increase HCV knowledge and promote positive attitudes towards PWID and people with HCV. What is known about this topic? The limited research available suggests that there are gaps in HCV knowledge among mental-health-service providers, although such research has generally targeted physicians. What does this paper add? This paper is the first to assess HCV knowledge, attitudes towards PWID and HCV among mental-health support workers. The findings suggest that although HCV knowledge is moderate, significant gaps exist, which are related to negative attitudes towards PWID. What are the implications for practitioners? Supportive and non-judgemental care is essential for people with mental illness and HCV, due to the potential for a double stigma arising from negative attitudes towards both mental illness and injecting drug use. This paper highlights the importance of targeted education for workers in the mental-health sector, to increase HCV knowledge and promote positive attitudes towards people with co-occurring mental-health, substance use problems and HCV.


2016 ◽  
Vol 33 (S1) ◽  
pp. S488-S489 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Haque

BackgroundThis paper examines the historical development of mental health services in the UAE including formation of federal laws associated with mental health and ministerial decrees. It also discusses cultural considerations in mental health practice in a society that is highly pluralistic and populated mainly by foreigners. The sharia aspects of mental health are also addressed.AimsThe aims of the paper are to familiarize readers in above areas and encourage further work in the area of mental health in UAE.MethodsThe research is based on literature review.ResultsAll federal laws and ministerial decrees are listed and local cultural considerations and sharia laws discussed, as they are unique to his country and region.ConclusionAlthough mental health is traditionally neglected in this country it is developing very fast and it is essential to keep track of and encourage such growth for the benefit of consumers and mental health professionals.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.


2014 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 190-202 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susan Patterson ◽  
Pauline Ford

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to inform education of non-mental health professionals who provide care to people with severe mental illness; to describe dentistry students’ knowledge and views about mental illness, including willingness to engage in various social situations with a person hospitalised for mental illness; and to assess and understand the impact of a targeted lecture on views and attitudes. Design/methodology/approach – The paper employed mixed methods to examine dental students’ knowledge and views about mental disorder before and after a seminar covering mental disorder, disadvantage and oral health. Findings from a bespoke questionnaire administered to third-year dental students were triangulated with qualitative data gathered in interviews with a subsample. Findings – Students understood mental disorder broadly, employing diverse causal models. Although knowledge was typically grounded in media stereotypes, attitudes were benevolent and most students reported willingness to provide dental care to affected individuals. The seminar, especially the consumer delivered section, was valued and associated with increased appreciation of the impact of mental disorder on oral health and need for assertive action to promote access to care. However, students reported being reluctant to disclose their own mental health problems for fear of being considered a professional or personal failure. A minority knew how to seek support if a friend talked of suicide. Research limitations/implications – This study highlights the need for further investigation of the knowledge and attitudes of dentistry students pertinent to provision of care to people with mental illness and to examine the links between attitudes and practice. The paper also provides a useful foundation for development of brief educational interventions, particularly the value in integrating the service user perspective, and their evaluation. Research should also examine the impact of mental health education on practice. Practical implications – A single inexpensive educational session, such as the one the paper developed may support reconsideration of often unconscious views of mental illness which might affect practice. Social implications – If people with mental illness are to receive equitable access to health care, non-mental health professionals should be supported to develop knowledge and attitudes which are conducive to inclusive treatment. An education session such as this could be helpful. Originality/value – There is scant literature examining attitudes of dentistry students and no reports of mental health-specific education with this population.


1995 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 151-160 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey H. Boyd

Theologians generally avoid the word soul, because of an anti-Plato battle that occurred between 1926 and 1958, leaving the word discredited. Searching for a substitute, most evangelical theologians use the word spirit instead, meaning the anthropological spirit. This article proposes that the word soul cannot be omitted from the theological vocabulary without leaving a vacuum. While soul and spirit are synonyms in the Bible, they are not complete synonyms. Soul emphasizes the earthly, carnal, and uniquely individual aspects of the inner person. When that word is omitted, theologians have a semantic blind-spot with regard to human psychology. It provides no theological vocabulary for discussing the relationship between psychology and theology. “Psyche” is the Greek word for soul, and secular psychotherapists routinely treat the soul, but not the spirit. The word ‘soul’ refers to the inner or subjective person in the natural state (whether saved or unsaved).


2017 ◽  
Vol 41 (S1) ◽  
pp. s906-s906
Author(s):  
H. Pereira

IntroductionThere are not many studies about affirmative competence and practices among mental health professionals working with lesbian, gay, and/or bisexual (LGB) clients.ObjectivesThe objectives of this research are to assess the levels of affirmative competence and practices of professionals in Ibero-American countries.AimWe aim to compare differences regarding gender, country of origin, religious beliefs, political orientation, sexual orientation, age, education, marital status, and possessing specific training related to working with LGB clients, in order to determine the predictive association of the variables under study.MethodsThe sample consists of 630 therapists from various countries various Ibero-American countries: 23% from Portugal, 23.2% from Brazil, 19.1% from Spain, 6.7% from Mexico, 6.7% from Argentina and 18.6% from other countries. Ages ranged from 19 to 75 years old, with a mean age of 41.46 years. The socio-demographic questionnaire, the Sexual Orientation Counselor Competency Scale, and the Affirmative Practice Questionnaire were the measures used.ResultsThe results show statistically significant differences when comparing marital status, sexual orientation, political orientation, religious beliefs, level of education, and specific training concerning LGB issues. Age, gender, and country of residence show no statistically significant differences. The linear regression model demonstrates that there is a significant predictive value between affirmative competence and practices with LGB clients.ConclusionsThis study indicates that mental health professionals should undergo some type of academic or professional training and/or possess experience in regards to working with LGB clients, in order to enhance their approach when working with this population.Disclosure of interestThe author has not supplied his/her declaration of competing interest.


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