Effects of Renaming Schizophrenia in Korea: from “Split-Mind Disorder” to “Attunement Disorder”.
- Author:
Jang Won CHO
1
;
Eun Young JANG
;
Hyung Jin WOO
;
Yong Chon PARK
;
Seok Hyun KIM
;
Kyung Sue HONG
;
Yu Sang LEE
;
Jun Soo KWON
Author Information
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords: Schizophrenia; Renaming; Stigma
- MeSH: Humans; Korea*; Mental Health; Schizophrenia*
- From:Psychiatry Investigation 2018;15(7):656-662
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
- Abstract: OBJECTIVE: Korean Neuropsychiatric Association changed the Korean name of schizophrenia from ‘Split-mind Disorder’ to ‘Attunement Disorder’ in 2012. This study assessed attitudes towards the renaming of schizophrenia among mental health practitioners (n=440), patients with schizophrenia and their guardians (n=396), and the university students (n=140) using self-administered questionnaires. METHODS: The questionnaire included items related to participants’ perception of the renaming of the disease, the nature of informing about the disease to confirm the effect of the name change. RESULTS: It was confirmed the notification rate of disease name by mental health practitioners was increased significantly after the renaming. Among patients and their guardians, 24.9% and 15.0%, respectively, perceived their own or the family member’s illness as ‘attunement disorder’. CONCLUSION: Patients and their guardians continue to display a low awareness about the name of the disease as ‘attunement disorder.’ However, mental health practitioners were found to be able to easily use the name ‘attunement disorder’ as a result of the increased notification rate of the new disease name.
