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A Comparison of Russian and British Attitudes towards Mental Health Problems in the Community

Author

Listed:
  • Natalia Shulman

    (21 New Riverhead, 173 Rosebery Avenue, London EC1R 4UL, UK.nshulman@blueyonder.co.uk)

  • Bryan Adams

    (City University, Northampton Square, London, EC1V 0HB, UK.b.d.adams@city.ac.uk)

Abstract

Aims & Result: This study examines the differences in attitudes towards mental health problems of Russian and British communities. A specially developed questionnaire containing four vignettes conforming to specific DSM-IV diagnoses of common mental disorders (obsessive compulsive disorder, schizophrenia, depression and dementia) was given to 134 subjects. Additional questions aimed to identify different attitudes towards the mentally ill, public awareness of the possible causes of these disorders and the availability of potential help. The comparisons were made in terms of national differences and demographic characteristics such as sex, age, education, marital status, children and familiarity with mental illness. Conclusions: The study revealed that the British sample was significantly more tolerant than the Russian. The Russian participants were far less likely to identify dementia as a mental disorder. However, the British respondents chose medically related help significantly more than the Russians. Significant associations were observed between factors such as education and familiarity with mental illness and tolerance within the British group. Various arguments are presented for the observed differences in terms of historic, political and cultural perspectives.

Suggested Citation

  • Natalia Shulman & Bryan Adams, 2002. "A Comparison of Russian and British Attitudes towards Mental Health Problems in the Community," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 48(4), pages 266-278, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:socpsy:v:48:y:2002:i:4:p:266-278
    DOI: 10.1177/002076402128783307
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Krystyna Nieradzik & Raymond Cochrane, 1985. "Public Attitudes Towards Mental Illness- the Effects of Behaviour, Roles and Psychiatric Labels," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 31(1), pages 23-33, March.
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    Cited by:

    1. Karine S Nersessova & Tomas Jurcik & Timothy L Hulsey, 2019. "Differences in beliefs and attitudes toward Depression and Schizophrenia in Russia and the United States," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 65(5), pages 388-398, August.
    2. Hannu Räty & Seija Ikonen & Kirsi Honkalampi, 2006. "Common-Sense Descriptions of Depression as Social Representations," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 52(3), pages 243-255, May.
    3. Evgeny Knaifel & Rafael Youngmann & Efrat Neter, 2023. "Immigrant generation, acculturation, and mental health literacy among former Soviet Union immigrants in Israel," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 69(3), pages 724-734, May.
    4. Christiane Eichenberg & Lilian Strobl & Tina Jaeger & Alla Kirsha & Richard Laugharne & Rohit Shankar, 2023. "Comparison of attitudes to media representation of mental illness between journalists and mental health professionals in Russia with German-speaking countries of Switzerland, Germany, and Austria," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 69(5), pages 1113-1120, August.

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