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Greek university student’s attitudes and beliefs concerning mental illness and its treatment

Author

Listed:
  • Chrysi K Kaparounaki
  • Chrysoula A Koraka
  • Eleni S Kotsi
  • Anna-Maria P Ntziovara
  • Gerasimos C Kyriakidis
  • Konstantinos N Fountoulakis

Abstract

Introduction: Stigma concerning mental disorder is a widespread phenomenon concerning the beliefs and attitudes of the public toward mental patients with a significant negative impact on state policy and the outcome of the patients. Material and methods: The study included 1,363 students of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. The survey was based on an Internet-based electronic platform. The statistical analysis included analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Yates corrected chi-square test. Results: Approximately, 87% of students responded that they know what mental disorder is, 70% were informed from the Internet, 30% consider mental patients responsible for their condition, more than 95% blame the way they were raised and almost 60% consider mental disorder to be heritable. Only a minority feel negatively with a mental patient around and close to 80% would socialize with them. More than 80% accept the need for psychiatric medication treatment but the opinion is split concerning compulsory treatment, and one-third consider medication to be harmful. Discussion: The results of this study suggest that most students believe they know much about mental illness; however, overall their responses are contradictory. They reply with confidence although they are informed mainly by the media and the Internet in an unreliable way. A number of factors including gender, specific school or personal experience of mental disorder in the family seem to influence the result. A combined educational plus contact might be necessary to reduce stigma, since education alone seems to exert a weak effect.

Suggested Citation

  • Chrysi K Kaparounaki & Chrysoula A Koraka & Eleni S Kotsi & Anna-Maria P Ntziovara & Gerasimos C Kyriakidis & Konstantinos N Fountoulakis, 2019. "Greek university student’s attitudes and beliefs concerning mental illness and its treatment," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 65(6), pages 515-526, September.
  • Handle: RePEc:sae:socpsy:v:65:y:2019:i:6:p:515-526
    DOI: 10.1177/0020764019864122
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Kirmayer, Laurence J., 1989. "Cultural variations in the response to psychiatric disorders and emotional distress," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 29(3), pages 327-339, January.
    2. Pamela Y. Collins & Vikram Patel & Sarah S. Joestl & Dana March & Thomas R. Insel & Abdallah S. Daar & Isabel A. Bordin & E. Jane Costello & Maureen Durkin & Christopher Fairburn & Roger I. Glass & Wa, 2011. "Grand challenges in global mental health," Nature, Nature, vol. 475(7354), pages 27-30, July.
    3. Evanthia Sakellari & Kimmo Lehtonen & Andre Sourander & Athena Kalokerinou‐Anagnostopoulou & Helena Leino‐Kilpi, 2014. "Greek adolescents' views of people with mental illness through drawings: mental health education's impact," Nursing & Health Sciences, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 16(3), pages 358-364, September.
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