M Meyers1, J Geldmacher2, S Mattausch1, M Brand3, D Heitmann2, G Juckel1,3, I S Haußleiter4,5. 1. LWL-Forschungsinstitut für seelische Gesundheit, LWL-Universitätsklinikum Bochum, Alexandrinenstr. 1-3, 44791, Bochum, Deutschland. 2. Evangelische Fachhochschule Rheinland-Westfalen-Lippe, Bochum, Deutschland. 3. LWL-Universitätsklinikum Bochum, Bochum, Deutschland. 4. LWL-Forschungsinstitut für seelische Gesundheit, LWL-Universitätsklinikum Bochum, Alexandrinenstr. 1-3, 44791, Bochum, Deutschland. ida.haussleiter@lwl.org. 5. LWL-Universitätsklinikum Bochum, Bochum, Deutschland. ida.haussleiter@lwl.org.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Social stigma connected to mental illness is a societal problem for which we lack data, especially among children and teenagers. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to assess how adolescents stigmatize mental illness in peers and to investigate if stigmatizing attitudes differed as a function of other variables (e. g. age, gender, level of education). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A German translation of the Revised Attribution Questionnaire (r-AQ), a nine-item survey, was administered to 246 pupils between 14 and 16 years of age, who were recruited from seven German schools. RESULTS: The pupils investigated in the study scored in the non-stigmatizing range of the questionnaire. Demographic factors did not have a significant effect on their stigmatizing attitude. CONCLUSIONS: The low stigmatizing tendencies can be explained by existing contact with the mentally ill or by possible effects of recruitment. Future research should take knowledge about mental illness as a possible factor influencing stigmatizing attitudes into account.
BACKGROUND: Social stigma connected to mental illness is a societal problem for which we lack data, especially among children and teenagers. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to assess how adolescents stigmatize mental illness in peers and to investigate if stigmatizing attitudes differed as a function of other variables (e. g. age, gender, level of education). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A German translation of the Revised Attribution Questionnaire (r-AQ), a nine-item survey, was administered to 246 pupils between 14 and 16 years of age, who were recruited from seven German schools. RESULTS: The pupils investigated in the study scored in the non-stigmatizing range of the questionnaire. Demographic factors did not have a significant effect on their stigmatizing attitude. CONCLUSIONS: The low stigmatizing tendencies can be explained by existing contact with the mentally ill or by possible effects of recruitment. Future research should take knowledge about mental illness as a possible factor influencing stigmatizing attitudes into account.
Entities:
Keywords:
Adolescents; Attribution questionnaire; Mental illness; Social stigma; Stereotypes
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