Attitudes about Mental Illness of Different Types of Respondents in Beijing
- VernacularTitle:不同人群对精神病的态度
- Author:
Shiyuan GAO
;
Philips MICHAEL
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- From:
Chinese Mental Health Journal
2001;15(2):107-109
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Objective: To understand the attitudes about mental illnesses of different types of community members. Method: A questionnaire was first developed using qualitative methods and then administered to 225 schizophrenic patients, 230 family members of schizophrenic patients, 257 community residents and 283 psychiatrists and psychiatric nurses in Beijing. Result: Patients were most optimistic and community members were most pessimistic about mental illnesses; family members tend to be optimistic, but were less positive than patients about the social contribution and treatment prospects. Mental health professionals were more negative than patients and family members but less negative than community members about social contribution, dangerousness, and need to restrict the behavior of those mentally ill. Unlike the other three groups, mental health professionals were much more likely to attribute mental illnesses to biological factors and much less to consider personal or social causes. Conclusion: To improve patient's and family members' damaged self-esteem, to enhance compliance with treatment, and to maximize patients' social rehabilitation, it is essential to rapidly institute effective measures of decreasing negative attitudes about the mentally ill in the community.
