Thesis (M. Ed.) -- University of Alberta, 2009. / "A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Education in Measurement, Evaluation and Cognition, Educational Psychology, University of Alberta. Title from pdf file main screen (viewed on September 9, 2009). Includes bibliographical references.

This study explored stigma associated with mental illness among Indonesian adults living in Indonesia. It investigated how mentally ill adults (both mentally ill patients and mental health nurses) perceive mental illness and how they respond to stigmatization on a daily basis. Given the current state of knowledge with regards to the meaning and process of stigma and mental illness among adults in Indonesia, a constructivist grounded theory was considered to be the method of choice for this study. We recruited 15 nurses and 15 patients to participate in the study; all from a psychiatric hospital in Indonesia. Data collection methods involved semi-structured interviews with the 30 participants as well as mute evidence, field notes and memos. Data analysis occurred over a period of six months. In keeping with the basic principles of a grounded theory method (Charmaz, 2006) as well as Paillé’s (1994) structure for data analysis which are congruent with Charmaz’s principles and include stages of codification, categorization, linking categories, integration, conceptualization, and theorization, 5 discrete but interrelated categories were produced: 1) treatment of mental illness; 2) violence; 3) fear; 4) constructing cursed citizens; and 5) stigmatization. Research results show that the experience of stigma for mentally ill patients in Indonesia is pervasive and impedes mental health services utilization. The stigmatization of mental illness is manifested by family members, members of the community, mental health professionals and staff, and also by governmental institutions and the media. Stigmatization is characterized by violence, fear, exclusion, isolation, rejection, blame, discrimination, and devaluation. Moreover, because of their (mis)understanding of mental illness, patients and families turn to alternative treatments provided by non-professionals (shamans, Islamic leaders, paranormals and traditional Chinese medicine); these individuals play a central role in supporting and offering solutions for someone suffering from a mental illness. In Indonesia, stigma affects mentally ill individuals at many levels. Until stigma associated with mental illness is addressed nationwide, those suffering from mental illness will continue to suffer and be prevented from accessing mental health services. As the results of this study have shown, patients seeking treatment experience violence and fear. Families and their mentally ill relatives have been expelled by their community, or have simply disappeared. Both physical and psychological abuse and humiliation have led to patients being avoided, rejected, and neglected, and thus isolated, hidden, or abandoned to the streets. There is a pressing need to combat mental illness stereotypes in Indonesia and health professionals, namely nurses, government agencies as well as the media must play a pivotal role in this process.

No description available.

Thesis (Honors)--College of William and Mary, 2009. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 28-30). Also available via the World Wide Web.

This thesis explores physical health outcomes of individuals that hold stigma against those with mental illness. The stigmatizer is mentioned in the literature as an individual that holds a stigma towards another group. In this thesis, stigma refers to those that hold prejudice and may express discrimination towards a targeted group. Two studies were conducted that looked at multiple demographic variables as well as symptomology and degree of stigma towards those with mental illness. The first study looked at overall stigma without the stereotypical psychosomatic symptoms (chest pain and abdominal pain). The second study looked at a second dimension of stigma (social distance) and included the psychosomatic symptoms. In the first study, results indicated that stigmatizers were more likely to be male (M = 1.53, SD = .51; r = .216, p < .01) and have higher socioeconomic status (M = 3.06, SD = .91; r = .22, p < .01). Health outcomes were not correlated in the first study. In the second study, results indicated that those with higher levels of stigma (M=45.13, SD=13.52) also had more symptoms (including chest pain and abdominal pain; M = 4.92, SD = 5.64; R2=.06, F(1,98)=6.58, p=.01). This trend was also true for stigma as determined by social distance (M=18.31, SD=7.02) and health (R2=.10, F(1,98)=10.74, p<.01). These results were consistent with the proposed hypothesis and the current literature of the stigmatizer as well as the biopsychosocial model of mental health.

This study explored whether depression is stigmatized, and whether these perceptions of depression vary by gender, a person’s own experience with depression, or knowing other people with depression. These questions were examined through the use of an online survey, which included questions measuring demographics, personal history of depression, tolerance of depression, and stigma toward depression. Responses from 106 participants were analyzed using t-tests. The study found that depression is stigmatizing. There is also more stigma for a male with depression than a female with depression. In regards to personal history with depression and stigma, it was found that personally dealing with depression lessened the amount of stigma imposed on depressed persons. There was no significant difference between men’s ratings of stigma and women’s rating. The study also found no significant difference between knowing people with depression or coming into contact with depressed individuals and the likelihood of stigmatizing those with depression.

Depression is the leading cause of disability around the world, and in Canada, 8% of adults will experience depression in their lifetimes. Nearly half of those with depression will not seek treatment, one of the major barriers being the social stigma associated with depression and other mental illnesses. Some of this stigma results from a mistaken understanding of free will and agency and the degree to which these are compromised in mental disorders. This thesis aims to show that free will in both psychologically healthy and pathological cases can be understood in a scientific causal deterministic way based on recent findings in neuroscience and psychology. The ‘will’ can be understood in terms of the normal range functioning of mechanisms for control, choice, and valuation. There is no ‘free’ will that is uncaused, but only relative freedom when these mechanisms are not internally damaged and there is no external coercion. Evidence that depression and mental illness can also be understood in a causal, deterministic way is also presented, and it is argued that this understanding can work back to reinforce the scientific understanding of the will in non-pathological cases. The understanding of free will based on healthy function and that based on pathological function are mutually reinforcing. The thesis concludes by showing that, based on a causal deterministic picture of the will, the stigma surrounding mental illness is unfounded, and that this view can lead to more compassion, understanding, and acceptance of both those with mental illness and the mentally healthy.

Thesis (M.A.)--University of North Carolina Wilmington, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves: [46]-52)

Thesis (MHSc)(TrnsculMtlHlth)--University of Melbourne, Dept. of Psychiatry (Centre for International Mental Health), 2009. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (p. 128-139)

People with diagnoses of mental illness have been described as the last minority group against whom it is socially acceptable to discriminate. Challenging the stigma of mental illness is a major social issue and public health concern. Despite a range of anti-stigma efforts being conducted in recent years, the problem persists. It has been argued that a good place to start when changing social attitudes is with young people, whose attitudes are in a state of flux, making them more open to alternative ways of thinking. However, school based educational approaches designed to address this issue are in their infancy. To date, the mental health stigma reduction agenda has largely been drawn up by those who hold most power in the field – predominantly psychiatrists. This has led to anti-stigma initiatives drawing primarily on a biomedical model. There is a growing body of evidence that this approach is not only ineffective, but can actually increase stigma. There is therefore a need to investigate and test alternative approaches. Furthermore, previous research investigating young people’s knowledge of and attitudes about mental illness has been constrained by being conducted within the terms of the dominant discourse.This research set out to investigate how young people construct their positions in relation to mental illness. A primary aim was to understand how they negotiate the ambiguities of the mental health discourse. In addition, it has looked at the impact of engaging in ‘inclusive dialogue’ about mental illness on young people’s sense making. Mental illness is itself an essentially contested concept. Inclusive dialogue is an approach which takes seriously the variety of competing concerns which make up the ways in which mental illness is approached in day to day life, aiming to embrace the complexities and encourage people to grapple with them, bringing their own experiences and beliefs to bear. The underlying purpose of the inquiry was to consider whether there is potential for educational initiatives to help young people adopt non-discriminatory stances in relation to mental illness. The research was conducted qualitatively, and engaged a group of seven year 10 pupils in a series of discussions, which took place over the course of a half term. In addition, individual interviews and follow up group sessions were carried out later in the academic year.The results of this study indicate that engaging young people in inclusive dialogue is beneficial across a range of domains. The young people said that the discussions left them more comfortable in talking about mental illness and confident about their ability to respond to mental illness in people around them. The study revealed that context and the specific details of each situation are crucial in determining whether young people take up stigmatising or supportive positions towards people with a mental illness. Stepping outside the terms of the dominant discourse reveals that far from being the product of poor comprehension of biomedical psychiatry, ‘stigma’ may in fact be just one of a set of responses to people with mental illness. People who are mentally ill sometimes behave in ways that are disturbing and frightening, and it is vital that education accepts, rather than sidesteps, this reality. The findings of this investigation suggest that what is needed to improve social responses to mental illness is a reframing of the issues; a conceptual shift, wherein the notions of ‘knowledge’ and ‘attitude’ are not taken for granted and the aim of ‘reducing stigma’ is left behind in favour of the positively framed target of increasing solidarity.