UNIVERSITY STUDENTS' ATTITUDES TOWARD MENTAL ILLNESS AND THEIR RELATIONSHIP TO EMPATHY

Year 2023, Volume: 30 Issue: 4, 662 - 671, 30.12.2023

Gözde Bacık Yaman , Hanım Kumbul , Büşra Köyüstü , İbrahim Hüseynov , Gülin Özdamar Ünal

https://doi.org/10.17343/sdutfd.1357125

Cited By: 1

Abstract

Objective
Mental illnesses are a significant public health
problem worldwide. This study aims to determine
university students' attitudes toward mental illnesses
and examine their relationship with empathy.
Material and Method
A cross-sectional study was conducted in Turkey
between September 2022 and April 2023 through
an online survey. In the 2022-2023 academic year,
six hundred sixty-six university students completed
the questionnaire, including the Sociodemographic
Data Form, Beliefs Towards Mental Illness Scale,
and Empathy Scale. It was questioned whether the
participants had taken a course on mental illness and
whether they would share it with someone if they had
a mental illness.
Results
According to gender, the median Empathy Scale
score of females was statistically significantly higher
than that of males (p=0.085, p=<0.001, respectively).
The Beliefs about Mental Illness Scale and Empathy
Scale scores did not differ according to the department
of study (p=0,097, p=0,150, respectively). Among the
medical faculty students, the Beliefs Towards Mental
Illness Scale score was statistically significantly higher
in students who did not take a psychiatry internship
than in those who did (p=0.025). There was a low
significant negative correlation between the total
score of the Beliefs about Mental Illness Scale and
the Empathy Scale score (rho=-0,097; p=0,012).
Conclusion
University students' attitudes towards mental illnesses
differed according to the year of education and the
status of taking courses on mental illnesses. It seems
that planning training sessions on mental illnesses
may positively change attitudes.

Keywords

Attitudes Toward Mental Illness, Empathy, Stigma

ÜNİVERSİTE ÖĞRENCİLERİNİN RUHSAL HASTALIKLARA YÖNELİK TUTUMLARI VE EMPATİ İLE İLİŞKİSİ

Abstract

Amaç
Ruhsal hastalıklar dünya çapında önemli bir halk sağlığı
sorunudur. Bu araştırmada üniversite öğrencilerinin
ruhsal hastalıklara yönelik tutumlarını belirlemek
ve bunun empati ile ilişkisini incelemek amaçlanmaktadır.
Gereç Yöntem
Türkiye’de Eylül 2022 ile Nisan 2023 tarihleri arasında
çevirimiçi anket aracılığıyla kesitsel bir çalışma
gerçekleştirildi. 2022-2023 eğitim öğretim yılında üniversiteye
devam eden 666 üniversite öğrencisi Sosyodemografik
Veri Formu, Ruhsal Hastalıklara Yönelik
İnançlar Ölçeği ve Empati Ölçeğini içeren anketi
tamamladılar. Katılımcıların ruhsal hastalıklar ile ilgili
ders alıp almadıkları ve kendilerinde bir ruhsal hastalık
olduğunda bunu biriyle paylaşıp paylaşmayacakları
sorgulandı.
Bulgular
Cinsiyete göre kadınların Empati Ölçeği ortanca puanı
erkeklere göre istatiksel düzeyde anlamlı olarak
daha yüksek saptandı (sırasıyla p=0,085, p=<0,001).
Öğrencilerin öğrenim gördüğü bölüme göre Ruhsal
Hastalığa Yönelik İnançlar Ölçeği ve Empati Ölçeği
toplam puanlarının farklılık göstermediği belirlendi
(sırasıyla p=0,097, p=0,150). Tıp fakültesi öğrencileri
arasında psikiyatri stajı almayan öğrencilerin stajı
alanlara göre Ruhsal Hastalığa Yönelik İnançlar Ölçeği
toplam puanı istatistiksel olarak anlamlı düzeyde
yüksekti (p=0,025). Ruhsal Hastalığa Yönelik İnançlar
Ölçeği toplam puanı ile Empati Ölçeği puanı arasında
negatif yönde düşük düzeyde anlamlı bir korelasyon
bulundu (rho=-0,097; p=0,012).
Sonuç
Üniversite öğrencilerinin ruhsal hastalıklara karşı tutumları
eğitim yılı ve ruhsal hastalıklara yönelik ders
alma durumlarına göre farklılık göstermektedir. Ruhsal
hastalıklara yönelik eğitim oturumlarının planlanması
tutumları olumlu yönde değiştirebilir görünmektedir.

Keywords

Ruhsal hastalıklara yönelik tutumlar, Empati, Damgalanma

References

• 1. World Health Organization. Mental health [Internet]. 2019 [cited 12 April 2021]. Available from: https://www.who.int/health-topics/ mental-health#tab=tab_1
• 2. Sağlık Bakanlığı. Ulusal ruh sağlığı eylem planı 2011-2023 [Internet]. 2011 [cited 15 April 2021]. Available from: https:// docplayer.biz.tr/2527563-T-c-saglikbakanligi-ulusal-ruh-sagligi- eylem-plani-2011-2023.html
• 3. Boyd JE, Katz EP, Link BG, Phelan JC. The relationship of multiple aspects of stigma and personal contact with someone hospitalized for mental illness, in a nationally representative sample. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol. 2010;45:1063-1070.
• 4. Knaak S, Mantler E, Szeto A. Mental illness-related stigma in healthcare: Barriers to access and care and evidence-based solutions. Healthcare Manag Forum 2017;30(2): 111-116.
• 5. Knaak S, Patten S, Ungar T. Mental illness stigma as a quality- of-care problem. Lancet Psychiatry 2015;2(10):863-864.
• 6. Henderson C, Noblett J, Parke H, Clement S, Caffrey A, et al. Mental health-related stigma in health care and mental health- care settings. The Lancet Psychiatry 2014;1(6):467-482.
• 7. Sartorius N. Iatrogenic stigma of mental illness: Begins with behaviour and attitudes of medical professionals, especially psychiatrists. BMJ 2002;324(7352):1470-1471.
• 8. Makowski AC, von dem Knesebeck O. Depression stigma and migration–results of a survey from Germany. BMC Psychiatry 2017;17:381.
• 9. Kılıç C. Current status of prevalence of psychiatric psychiatric disorders and their treatment in Turkey. Toplum ve Hekim 2020;35(3):179-187.
• 10. Eren HK, Gürhan N. Determination of the relationship between the beliefs of nursing students toward mental illnesses and their empathic tendency levels. Perspect Psychiatr Care 2021;57:1034-1040.
• 11. Webb M, Peterson J, Willis SC, Rodney H, Siebert E, Carlile JA, et al. The role of empathy and adult attachment in predicting stigma toward severe and persistent mental illness and other psychosocial or health conditions. J Ment Health Couns 2016;38(1): 62-78.
• 12. Granados-Gámez, G, Lopez Rodriguez MDM, Corral Granados A, Márquez-Hernández VV. Attitudes and Beliefs of Nursing Students toward Mental Disorder: The Significance of Direct Experience with Patients. Perspect Psychiatr Care 2017;53:135-143.
• 13. Poreddi V, Thimmaiah R, Math SB. Attitudes toward people with mental illness among medical students. J Neurosci Rural Pract. 2015;6:349–354.
• 14. Patten SB, Remillard A, Phillips L, Modgill G, Szeto AC, Kassam A et al. Effectiveness of contact-based education for reducing mental illness-related stigma in pharmacy students. BMC Med Educ. 2012;12:120.
• 15. Hirai M, Clum GA. Development, Reliability, and Validity of The Beliefs Toward Mental İllness Scale, J Psychopathol Behav Assess. 2000;22(3):221-236.
• 16. Bilge A, Çam O. Ruhsal Hastaliga Yönelik Inançlar Ölçegi'nin geçerliligi ve güvenilirligi/validity and reliability of beliefs towards mental illness scale. Anadolu Psikiyatri Derg. 2008;9(2):91-94.
• 17. Baron-Cohen S, Wheelwright S. The empathy quotient: an investigation of adults with Asperger syndrome or high functioning autism, and normal sex differences. J Autism Dev Disord. 2004;34:163-175.
• 18. Bora E, Baysan L. Empati Ölçeği-Türkçe Formunun Üniversite Öğrencilerinde Psikometrik Özellikleri. Klinik Psikofarmakoloji Bulteni 2009;19(1):39-47.
• 19. Wakabayashi A, Baron-Cohen S, Wheelwright S, Goldenfeld N, Delaney J, Fine D, et al. Development of short forms of the Empathy Quotient (EQ-Short) and the Systemizing Quotient (SQ-Short). Pers Individ Dif .2006;41(5):929-940.
• 20. Hayran, M. Sağlık Araştırmaları İçin Temel İstatistik. 1. Basım. Ankara:Art Ofset Matbaacılık Yayıncılık Organizasyon; 2011.
• 21. Chauhan S, Parmar SS. Attitudes and beliefs of medical students towards individuals with mental illness-a multicentric, cross sectional study. Acta Psychopathol. 2017;3(S2):80-88.
• 22. Dal Ü, Güleryüz İO, Ülker E, Demiray T. Beliefs of nursing students for mental illnesses. Journal of Nursing Science 2018;1(2):14-18.
• 23. Javed Z, Naeem F, Kingdon D, Irfan M, Izhar N, Ayub M. Attitude of the university students and teachers towards mentally ill, in Lahore, Pakistan. J Ayub Med Coll Abbottabad. 2006;18(3).
• 24. Ünal E, Uyaroğlu AK. The relationship between beliefs toward mental illnesses, empathic tendency and social distancing in university students. Arch Psychiatr Nurs. 2022;41:348-353.
• 25. Angermeyer MC, Matschinger H. The stigma of mental illness: effects of labelling on public attitudes towards people with mental disorder. Acta Psychiatr Scand. 2003;108(4):304-309.
• 26. Şahin-Tarım H, Yılmaz M. Investigation in terms of socio-demographic variables of beliefs about mental illness of university students studying in health field. Mersin University Journal of Health Sciences 2018;11(2):134-146.
• 27. Savrun BM, Arikan K, Uysal O, Cetin G, Poyraz BC, Aksoy C, et al. Gender effect on attitudes towards the mentally ill: A survey of Turkish university students. Isr J Psychiatry Relat Sci. 2007;44(1):57-61.
• 28. Ünal S, Hisar F, Özgüven Z. Üniversite Öğrencilerinin Ruhsal Hastalığa Yönelik İnançları.Dusunen Adam 2010;23(3).
• 29. Ng P, Chan KF. Sex differences in opinion towards mental illness of secondary school students in Hong Kong. Int J Soc Psychiatry 2000;46(2):79-88.
• 30. Akgün-Çıtak E, Budak E, Kaya Ö, Öz Ş, Şahin S, Taran N. Determination of the beliefs towards to mental illness in nursing students in Baskent University. Journal of Hacettepe University Faculty of Nursing 2010;17(2):68-73.
• 31. Kayahan M. Attitudes towards schizophrenia and influence of psychiatric training in nursing students. Harran Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi Dergisi 2009;6(1):27-34.
• 32. Özbaş D, Buzlu S. The ideas of the nursing students about psychiatric nursing lesson and roles of psychiatric nurse. Journal of Anatolia Nursing and Health Sciences 2011;14(1):31-40.
• 33. Shehata WM, Abdeldaim DE. Stigma towards mental illness among Tanta university students. Egypt. Community Mental Health Journal 2020;56:464-470.
• 34. Ka Fai C, Chen E, Liu C. University students’ attitudes towards mental patients and psychiatric treatment. Int J Soc Psychiatry 2001;47(2):63–72.
• 35. Vijayalakshmi P, Reddy D, Math SB, Thimmaiah R. Attitudes of undergraduates towards mental illness: A comparison between nursing and business management students in India. Afr J Psychiatry 2013;19(3):8–873.
• 36. Rayan A, Jaradat A. Stigma of mental illness and attitudes toward psychological help-seeking in Jordanian university students. Research in Psychology and Behavioral Sciences 2016;4(1):7–14.
• 37. Aslantaş H, Koyak HÇ, Sarı E. Factors affecting the beliefs toward mental illnesses and social distances of high school students. Çukurova Med J 2019;44(4):1272-1283.
• 38. Li W, Reavley N. Recognition and beliefs about treatment for mental disorders in mainland China: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 2020;55:129-149.
• 39. Sahin G, Amancalı M, Sayın SA, Yakar A, Buzlu S. Undergraduate nursing students' attitudes towards patients with mental disorders and related factors. Acıbadem University Health Sciences Journal 2019;10(2):218-224.
• 40. Yadav T, Arya K, Kataria D, Balhara YPS. Impact of psychiatric education and training on attitude of medical students towards mentally ill: A comparative analysis. Ind Psychiatry J 2012;21(1):22.
• 41. Telles-Correia D, Marques JG, Gramaça J, Sampaio D. Stigma and attitudes towards psychiatric patients in Portuguese medical students. Acta Med Port 2015;28(6):715-719.
• 42. Birdoğan SY, Berksun EO. Tıp fakültesi 1. sınıf ve 6. sınıf öğrencilerinde psikiyatrik hastaya yönelik tutumlar. Kriz Dergisi 2002;10(2):1-7.
• 43. Lampe L, Coulston C, Walter G, Malhi G. Familiarity breeds respect: attitudes of medical students towards psychiatry following a clinical attachment. Australas Psychiatry 2010;18(4):348-353.
• 44. Tan SM, Azmi MT, Reddy JP, Shaharom MH, Rosdinom R, Maniam T, et al Does clinical exposure to patients in medical school affect trainee doctors’ attitudes towards mental disorders and patients? A pilot study. Med J Malaysia 2005;60:328-337.
• 45. Dovidio JF, Gaertner SL, Kawakami K. Intergroup contact: The past, present, and the future. Group Process Intergroup Relat 2003;6(1):5-21.
• 46. Yang CPP, Hargreaves WA, Bostrom A. Association of empathy of nursing staff with reduction of seclusion and restraint in psychiatric inpatient care. Psychiatr Serv. 2014;65(2):251-254.
• 47. Hepdeniz ÖK, Temel UB, Uğurlu M. Bir diş hekimliği fakültesinde lisans öğrencilerinin empati düzeylerinin değerlendirilmesi. SDÜ Tıp Fakültesi Dergisi 2023;30(2):235-244.
• 48. Arslantaş H, Abacıgil F, Adana F, Karadağ Ş, Koyak HÇ. Beliefs of Nursing Students about Mental Illnesses and Social Distance: The Effects of Theoretical and Practical Psychiatric Nursing Education. In Yeni Symposium 2019;57(1).
• 49. Oban G, Kucuk L. The effect of the education aiming at informing about schizophrenia to social distance and attitudes among high school students/Lise ogrencilerinde sizofreniye yonelik bilgilendirme egitiminin sosyal mesafe ve tutuma etkisi. Journal of Education and Research in Nursing 2012;9(2):35-42.
• 50. Antoniadis D, Gouti A, Kaloudi E, Τourlende N, Douzenis A, Christodoulou C, et al. Greek students' attitudes towards mental disorders. Psychiatriki 2016;27(2):98-105.