The Attitude of Iranian Students Toward Patients with Mental Illnesses in Different College Majors

Ali Kabiri; Ali Rafati; Mahsa Boroon; Fatemeh Hadi; Shahin Norouzi; Mohammadreza Shalbafan

doi:10.18502/jimc.v6i3.12846

Ali Kabiri Mental Health Research Center, Psychosocial Health Research Institute, Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Ali Rafati Mental Health Research Center, Psychosocial Health Research Institute, Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Mahsa Boroon Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Alborz University of Medical Sciences, Karaj, Iran
Fatemeh Hadi School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Shahin Norouzi Department of Psychiatry, Golestan Hospital, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
Mohammadreza Shalbafan Mental Health Research Center, Psychosocial Health Research Institute, Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/jimc.v6i3.12846

Keywords: Attitude, College students, Education, Mental illnesses, Social stigma

Abstract

Background: This study was conducted to understand and compare the Iranian students’ attitudes toward patients with mental illnesses in different college majors.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, information about students’ attitudes toward patients with mental illnesses was gathered through “The social distancing” and “The dangerousness” questionnaires.

Results: A total of 243 Iranian students in four different college majors: medicine, art, law, and engineering, participated in the study. The “social distance scale” was significantly different between the college majors (p=0.03), as the art students had the least stigmatizing attitude. Furthermore, there was no significant difference in the “dangerousness scale” between different college majors (p=0.93).

Conclusion: Understanding the attitude of students toward patients with mental illnesses and their differences is vital to perform proper interventions on stigmatizing behaviors for students as future specialists. Also, the underlying reasons for having a less stigmatizing attitude in certain groups should be recognized and employed to reduce stigmatizing attitudes in other groups