Psycho-education and familiarity with severe mental illness arbitrate change in public stigma of severe mental illness. A survey study exploring the attributions of dangerousness and avoidance from people with severe mental illness was carried out. The study employed opportunity sampling and sixty students (m=30; f=30) half of which were students of Psychology and the other half were students of MBA. The students’ familiarity with severe mental illness, the perception of dangerousness and the desire to avoid from persons with severe mental illness were gathered via a self-administered electronic survey. More females than males showed a heightened level of fear and avoidance from persons with severe mental illness. However, students with a psychology background showed more desire for social inclusion and lower perception of dangerousness than the MBA. Similarly, students with the high level of familiarity showed less fear and more tolerance towards persons with severe mental illness than students with low level of familiarity, which supported the earlier findings.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Introduction
- Method
- Design
- Participants
- Materials
- Variables
- Procedure
- Pilot Study
- Data Screening
- Results: Hypothesis 1, 2 & 3
- Results: Hypothesis 4
- Attributions of dangerousness
- Attribution of avoidance
- Results: Hypothesis 5
- Discussion
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This research explores the perception of dangerousness and avoidance behavior towards individuals with severe mental illness (SMI) among psychology and MBA students. The study investigates whether familiarity with SMI influences these perceptions and behaviors.
- The role of gender in the stigma of dangerousness and avoidance from persons with SMI.
- The impact of education (psychology vs. business) on the stigma of dangerousness and avoidance from persons with SMI.
- The relationship between familiarity with SMI and the perception of dangerousness and avoidance behavior.
- The differences in stigma of dangerousness and avoidance based on varying levels of familiarity with SMI.
- The importance of psycho-education and social contact for reducing stigma and promoting social inclusion of individuals with SMI.
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
The Introduction chapter provides a comprehensive overview of the stigma associated with severe mental illness, emphasizing the negative stereotypes and discriminatory practices that individuals with SMI face. This section explores the significance of research on public stigma and its implications for public health educators, healthcare systems, and policy development.
The Method section outlines the research design, including the participant sample, materials used, and the specific variables measured. This chapter details the procedures involved in data collection and analysis, addressing the ethical considerations and data screening techniques employed.
The Results section presents the findings of the study, focusing on the analysis of each hypothesis. It examines the influence of gender, education, and familiarity with SMI on the perception of dangerousness and avoidance behavior towards individuals with SMI.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
The study focuses on public stigma, severe mental illness (SMI), dangerousness perception, avoidance behavior, familiarity, psycho-education, social inclusion, and social integration.
- Quote paper
- Raja Sree R Subramaniam (Author), 2014, The Stigma of Severe Mental Illness to Male and Female Students of Psychology and MBA, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/313300
