scholarly journals Continuum beliefs in the stigma process regarding persons with schizophrenia and depression: results of path analyses

PeerJ ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
pp. e2360 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna C. Makowski ◽  
Eva E. Mnich ◽  
Matthias C. Angermeyer ◽  
Olaf von dem Knesebeck
Keyword(s):  
Mental Illness ◽  
Social Distance ◽  
Emotional Responses ◽  
Emotional Reactions ◽  
Path Analyses ◽  
Stigmatizing Attitudes ◽  
Path Models ◽  
Persons With Schizophrenia ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
The Continuum

BackgroundIndividuals with mental illness often experience stigmatization and encounter stereotypes such as being dangerous or unpredictable. To further improve measures against psychiatric stigma, it is of importance to understand its components. In this study, we attend to the step of separation between “us” and “them” in the stigma process as conceptualized by Link and Phelan. In using the belief in continuity of mental illness symptoms as a proxy for separation, we explore its associations with stereotypes, emotional responses and desire for social distance in the stigma process.MethodsAnalyses are based on a representative survey in Germany. Vignettes with symptoms suggestive of schizophrenia (n = 1,338) or depression (n = 1,316) were presented to the respondents, followed by questions on continuum belief, stereotypes, emotional reactions and desire for social distance. To examine the relationship between these items, path models were computed.ResultsRespondents who endorsed the continuum belief tended to show greater prosocial reactions (schizophrenia: 0.07; p < 0.001, depression: 0.09; p < 0.001) and less desire for social distance (schizophrenia: −0.13; p < 0.001, depression: −0.14; p < 0.001) toward a person with mental illness. In both cases, agreement with the stereotypes of unpredictability and dangerousness was positively associated with feelings of anger and fear as well as desire for social distance. There were no statistically significant relations between stereotypes and continuum beliefs.DiscussionAssumptions regarding continuum beliefs in the stigma process were only partially confirmed. However, there were associations of continuum beliefs with less stigmatizing attitudes toward persons affected by either schizophrenia or depression. Including information on continuity of symptoms, and thus oppose perceived separation, could prove helpful in future anti-stigma campaigns.

scholarly journals A Hierarchical Probabilistic Framework for Recognizing Learners’ Interaction Experience Trends and Emotions

2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Imène Jraidi ◽  
Maher Chaouachi ◽  
Claude Frasson
Keyword(s):  
Emotional Responses ◽  
Dynamic Bayesian Network ◽  
Dynamic Structure ◽  
Emotional Reactions ◽  
Probabilistic Framework ◽  
Interactive Learning Environment ◽  
Predictive Variables ◽  
Current Context ◽  
And Performance ◽  
The Relationship

We seek to model the users’ experience within an interactive learning environment. More precisely, we are interested in assessing the relationship between learners’ emotional reactions and three trends in the interaction experience, namely,flow: the optimal interaction (a perfect immersion within the task),stuck: the nonoptimal interaction (a difficulty to maintain focused attention), andoff-task: the noninteraction (a dropout from the task). We propose a hierarchical probabilistic framework using a dynamic Bayesian network to model this relationship and to simultaneously recognize the probability of experiencing each trend as well as the emotional responses occurring subsequently. The framework combines three modalitydiagnostic variablesthat sense the learner’s experience including physiology, behavior, and performance,predictive variablesthat represent the current context and the learner’s profile, and adynamic structurethat tracks the evolution of the learner’s experience. An experimental study, with a specifically designed protocol for eliciting the targeted experiences, was conducted to validate our approach. Results revealed that multiple concurrent emotions can be associated with the experiences of flow, stuck, and off-task and that the same trend can be expressed differently from one individual to another. The evaluation of the framework showed promising results in predicting learners’ experience trends and emotional responses.

scholarly journals Attitudes toward mentally ill patients: a comparison between Romanian and International Medical Students

2017 ◽  
Vol 90 (4) ◽  
pp. 401-406
Author(s):  
Codruta Alina Popescu ◽  
Anca Dana Buzoianu ◽  
Soimita Mihaela Suciu ◽  
Sebastian Mihai Armean
Keyword(s):  
Mental Illness ◽  
Medical Students ◽  
Social Distance ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Mentally Ill ◽  
Negative Attitude ◽  
Personal Contact ◽  
Future Health ◽  
People With Mental Illness ◽  
Stigmatizing Attitudes

Background. Stigmatizing attitudes to mental illness, and especially schizophrenia, are not limited to the general population but are also common among health professionals. Health professionals are in a position to model health related attitudes both in the general public and patients. Medical students are an interesting group to focus upon, since they are future health professionals and correcting stigmatizing attitudes is still possible during their educational curriculum.Methods. This study investigated the attitude toward mental illness in medical students at the Iuliu Hatieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy. We surveyed first year students, since they have not yet received specific classes or internships in psychiatry; 322 students from the Romanian and English sections participated, representing a response rate of 94.7%. The questionnaire consisted of the Romanian and English versions of Link's Social Distance Scale towards people with mental illness scale.Results. Overall, medical students had a relatively negative attitude towards people with mental illness, with moderate social distance and stereotypical attitudes. The level of personal contact with people with mental illness was correlated with positive attitudes. International students had scored lower then Romanian students on social distance toward mentally ill patients.Conclusions. Medical education can play an important role in the attitudes of students toward mental illness. Medical students have stigmatizing attitudes about mentally ill patients. Personal contact with people suffering from mental illness might contribute to a positive attitude from the medical students toward mentally ill patients.

Emotional reactions to people with mental illness

2010 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 26-32 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthias C. Angermeyer ◽  
Anita Holzinger ◽  
Herbert Matschinger
Keyword(s):  
Mental Illness ◽  
Mental Disorder ◽  
Social Distance ◽  
Emotional Response ◽  
Substantial Effect ◽  
Emotional Reactions ◽  
The Public ◽  
People With Mental Illness ◽  
Stigma Of Mental Illness ◽  
Different Cultures

Aims– Based on findings from population surveys, we provide an overview of the public's emotional reactions to people with mental illness.Methods– A literature search for populations studies using measures of emotional response to people with mental illness was carried out. In addition, data on the public's emotional reactions, originating from representative surveys conducted in Germany in the years 1990, 1993 and 2001, were analysed.Results– Positive emotional reactions to people with mental illness are most prevalent, followed by fear and anger. This pattern appears relatively stable across different cultures. In recent years, the emotional response of the public remained unchanged or even deteriorated. The public seems to react quite differently to people with different mental disorders. Emotional reactions have a substantial effect on the desire for social distance. The association between familiarity with mental disorder and the desire for social distance is to a considerable extent mediated through emotions.Conclusions– The public's emotional reactions to people with mental disorder are relatively under-researched. More research may help better understand the complexities of the stigma surrounding mental illness. Interventions aimed at reducing the stigma of mental illness may benefit from paying more attention to emotions.

scholarly journals The Long-Term Effectiveness of Interventions Addressing Mental Health Literacy and Stigma of Mental Illness in Children and Adolescents: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

2021 ◽  
Vol 66 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandra Maria Freţian ◽  
Patricia Graf ◽  
Sandra Kirchhoff ◽  
Gloria Glinphratum ◽  
Torsten M. Bollweg ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Systematic Review ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Health Literacy ◽  
Social Distance ◽  
Mental Health Literacy ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Stigmatizing Attitudes

Objectives: This study aims to provide a systematic review and meta-analysis of the literature on the long-term effects of interventions addressing children’s and adolescents’ mental health literacy and/or stigmatizing attitudes.Methods: Articles in English or German published between January 1997 and May 2020 were retrieved from five databases, leading to a total of 4,375 original articles identified.Results: 25 studies were included after applying exclusion criteria, 13 of which were eligible for meta-analysis. The overall average of the follow-up period was about 5 months. Long-term improvements were sustained for mental health literacy, d = 0.48, 95% CI = (0.34, 0.62), as well as for stigmatizing attitudes, d = 0.30, 95% CI = (0.24, 0.36), and social distance, d = 0.16, 95% CI = (0.03, 0.29). The combination of educational and contact components within interventions led to worse results for mental health literacy, but not stigmatizing attitudes or social distance.Conclusion: Interventions targeting children and adolescents generally have a brief follow-up period of an average of 5 months. They show a stable improvement in mental health literacy, but are to a lesser degree able to destigmatize mental illness or improve social distance.

Sound and Emotion

2019 ◽  
pp. 367-390
Author(s):  
Erkin Asutay ◽  
Daniel Västfjäll
Keyword(s):  
Auditory Perception ◽  
Emotional Responses ◽  
Emotional Reactions ◽  
Auditory Attention ◽  
Auditory Stimuli ◽  
Sound Perception ◽  
Environmental Sounds ◽  
Emotional Processes ◽  
Vocal Signals ◽  
The Relationship

The focus of Erkin Asutay and Daniel Västfjäll’s chapter is the relationship between sound and emotion. Evidence from behavioral and neuroimaging studies is presented that documents how sound can evoke emotions and how emotional processes affect sound perception. This leads to a discussion of different forms of emotional responses to auditory stimuli, such as responses to vocal signals, responses to environmental sounds, and responses to music. The authors view the auditory system as an adaptive network that governs both how auditory stimuli influence emotional reactions and how the affective significance of sound influences auditory attention. In conclusion, they argue that affective experience is integral to auditory perception.

scholarly journals Attitudes towards severe mental illness and social distance: A survey of volunteer befrienders in Austria

2018 ◽  
Vol 64 (5) ◽  
pp. 470-475 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah Toner ◽  
Karin Fabisch ◽  
Stefan Priebe ◽  
Gϋnter Klug
Keyword(s):  
Mental Illness ◽  
General Population ◽  
Severe Mental Illness ◽  
Social Distance ◽  
Health Sector ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Independent Variables ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Professional Contexts ◽  
The Relationship

Background: Research suggests there is a propensity for people in the general population to distance themselves from people with severe mental illness (SMI), which reportedly decreases with increased contact with individuals with SMI. Volunteer befrienders in the mental health sector have ongoing contact with this population, yet little data exist to reflect their attitudes towards people with SMI. Method: A questionnaire was distributed to all volunteer befrienders for people with SMI within volunteering programmes organised in five Austrian regions. A vignette described an individual with SMI and was followed by questions assessing willingness to interact with this person in personal or professional contexts. Social distance scores, calculated based on responses to attitude items, were used as the dependent variable in regression analyses. Independent variables included participant characteristics, experience of family/friends with mental illness, time spent befriending and satisfaction with the relationship. Results: Questionnaires were completed and returned by 360 volunteers (54.0%). A minority would allow someone with SMI to look after their children (6.2%), while most volunteers positively endorsed other personal interactions such as having the individual marry into their family (67.8%) or become a neighbour (99.7%). Social distance ( M = 2.5, standard deviation [ SD] = 1.16) was not associated with any independent variables. Conclusions: Volunteers had a lower desire for social distance from individuals with SMI as compared to findings from the general population. Future research may establish whether lower social distance is part of the motivation to volunteer as a befriender to people with severe mental illness or develops over time in that role or both.

scholarly journals Stigma among doctors towards people with mental illness

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bishnu Sharma ◽  
Harshavardhan Sampath ◽  
Geeta Soohinda ◽  
Sanjiba Dutta
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Community Mental Health ◽  
Social Desirability ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Social Distance ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Social Desirability Bias ◽  
People With Mental Illness ◽  
Stigmatizing Attitudes

Background: Stigma towards adults with mental illness is a longstanding and widespread phenomenon. Stigmatizing attitudes are prevalent not only among the general population but also among doctors. Negative stereotyping of people with mental illness (PMI) leads to prejudice and discrimination, affecting all aspects of their medical care and well-being. The present study attempted to explore stigmatizing attitudes among doctors towards PMI.Methods: The research was observational and cross-sectional in design carried out on doctors in a medical college. Socio-demographic data including field of specialization, experience, and academic post were recorded. The community attitudes towards mental illness (CAMI) and social distance scale were administered. Social desirability bias was corrected for by using the Marlowe-Crowne social desirability scale.Results: Around 54 doctors from the specializations of medicine (n=24), surgery (n=19), and non-clinical fields (n=11) participated. We found no significant differences in attitudes towards mentally ill and social distance between medical specializations (p-values >0.05) even after adjusting for the effects of social desirability bias. Years of specialization experience (p=0.037) and having a family member or close friend with mental illness (p=0.012) were significantly associated with higher scores in the community mental health ideology sub-scale of CAMI. Higher social restrictiveness (p=0.014) and lower community mental health ideology (p=0.008) were associated with greater social distance from PMI.Conclusions: Doctors are not immune to biases and stigmatizing attitudes towards PMI. These attitudes are present across all fields of medical specialization and must be addressed by mental health professionals to ensure optimal care of this vulnerable population.

Public beliefs and attitudes towards schizophrenia and major depression: Findings from a representative population-based study

2017 ◽  
Vol 41 (S1) ◽  
pp. S574-S574
Author(s):  
Y.J. Lien ◽  
Y.C. Kao
Keyword(s):  
Major Depression ◽  
Social Distance ◽  
Causal Attributions ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Emotional Reactions ◽  
Case Vignette ◽  
Computer Assisted ◽  
Public Beliefs ◽  
Stigmatizing Attitudes ◽  
Beliefs And Attitudes

IntroductionPrevious studies have suggested that public beliefs and attitudes toward mental illness may be influenced by country-specific social and cultural factors.ObjectivesThis study aimed to carry out a national survey to assess people's beliefs and stigmatizing attitudes toward schizophrenia and major depression in Taiwan.MethodsWe randomly recruited participants aged 20–65 (n = 1600) in Taiwan, using a computer-assisted telephone interviewing. Participants were presented with a case vignette for major depression and schizophrenia. Questions were asked about causal attributions, emotional reactions, and social distance of individuals afflicted by psychosis or depression.ResultsIn respect of causal attributions, respondents were more concerned with the likelihood of biogenetic explanations for schizophrenia as compared with depression. The same applied to other explanations such as god's willingness and being possessed or haunted. In contrast, psychosocial factors were more likely to be endorsed as a cause of depression than as a cause of schizophrenia. For perceived dangerousness, significantly more respondents considered schizophrenia likely to be violent toward others and to be unpredictable. In terms of emotional reactions, respondents were significantly more likely to express anger or fear for schizophrenia vignette. A similar pattern was shown for the social distance, where respondents were also significantly less likely to express a willingness to contact people suffering from schizophrenia within different social relationships.ConclusionsThe findings from this study may enhance our knowledge of community beliefs and stigmatizing attitudes towards people with mental disorders in Taiwan and highlight the importance of understanding these issues in context.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

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