J Psy Nurs. 2011; 2(1): 31-39

Factors Affecting Stigmatization About Mental Disorders Among Adolescents

Gül Oban¹, Leyla Küçük^2
1Istanbul University Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey
²Psychiatric Nursing Department, Istanbul University Florence Nightingale School Of Nursing, Istanbul

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate factors that affect stigmatization about mental disorders among adolescents.

METHODS: The study was carried out in April-May 2010 with 60 randomly selected high school students (age range: 14-19 years) from Niþantasý Nuri Akýn Anatolian High School in Ýstanbul who accepted to participate in the study. Data were collected with a questionnaire form, Social Distance Scale, and the Attitude and Belief Scale Toward Mental Illness prepared by the researcher using the literature. For the data analysis, statistical descriptive (percentage, arithmetic mean, standard deviation) and comparative (Kruskal-Wallis, Mann-Whitney U) methods were used.

RESULTS: Our results showed that there was no significant correlation between the students’ social distance and attitude toward mental disorders and their gender, economic status, presence of psychiatric family history, or the presence of a mental disorder that they frequently hear of and know about. However, a statistically significant correlation was determined between the students’ social distance and attitude toward mental disorders and a personal psychiatric history, previously acquired knowledge about mental disorders, their thoughts about the patients’ legal rights, the presence of a mental disorder that they consider to be dangerous, their belief that a mental disorder can develop as a result of living with someone with a mental disorder, and their feeling of uncomfortableness about living in a city or town in which a mental hospital is located.

CONCLUSION: It was seen that adolescents have a negative attitude toward and a desire to maintain a social distance from individuals with mental disorders. We recommend that mental health nurses utilize school programs in order to increase the awareness of adolescents toward mental disorders and to reduce the associated stigmatization.

Keywords: Stigmatization, adolescent; mental illness; social distance; attitude.

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Ergenlerde Ruhsal Hastalýklara Yönelik Damgalamayý Etkileyen Etmenler

Gül Oban¹, Leyla Küçük^2
1Ýstanbul Üniversitesi Cerrahpaþa Týp Fakültesi Hastanesi, Ýstanbul
²Ýstanbul Üniversitesi Florence Nightingale Hemþirelik Yüksek Okulu, Psikiyatri Hemþireliði Anabilim Dalý, Ýstanbul

AMAÇ: Bu çalýþmada, lise öðrencilerinde ruhsal hastalýklara yönelik damgalamayý etkileyen etmenlerin belirlenmesi amaçlandý.

YÖNTEMLER: Çalýþma Ýstanbul ili Þiþli ilçesi bir Anadolu lisesinde 2009-2010 eðitim öðretim yýlýnda öðrenim gören rastgele örnekleme yöntemi ile seçilen ve araþtýrmayý kabul eden 60 onuncu sýnýf öðrencileri ile Nisan-Mayýs 2010 tarihleri arasýnda gerçekleþtirildi. Veriler araþtýrmacý tarafýndan literatür bilgisi doðrultusunda oluþturulan Anket Formu, Sosyal Mesafe Ölçeði ve Ruhsal Hastalýða Yönelik Tutum ve Ýnanç Ölçeði kullanýlarak toplandý. Verilerin analizinde tanýmlayýcý (yüzdelik, aritmetik ortalama, standart sapma) ve karþýlaþtýrma istatistik (Kruskan Wallis ve Mann-Whitney U test) yöntemleri kullanýldý.

BULGULAR: Öðrencilerin ruhsal hastalýklara yönelik sosyal mesafe ve tutumlarý ile cinsiyet, ekonomik durum, ailelerinde psikiyatrik öykü olma, sýk duyduklarý ve bildikleri ruhsal hastalýk varlýðý arasýnda anlamlý bir fark bulunmazken; sosyal mesafe ve tutumlarý ile kendilerinde psikiyatrik hastalýk öyküsü olma, ruhsal hastalýklar hakkýnda daha önceden bilgi alma, hastalarýn hukuki haklarý hakkýndaki düþünceleri, tehlikeli olduðunu düþündükleri ruhsal hastalýk varlýðý, ruhsal hastalýðý olan bireylerle yaþama sonucu ruhsal hastalýk oluþumu konusundaki inançlarý ve ruh ve sinir hastalýklarý hastanesinin bulunduðu il/ilçelerde yaþamaktan rahatsýz olma durumlarý arasýnda anlamlý fark olduðu belirlendi.

SONUÇ: Ergenlerin ruhsal hastalýklara yönelik olumsuz tutum ve sosyal mesafe koyma isteklerinin var olduðu görüldü. Toplum ruh saðlýðý hemþirelerinin ergenlere ruhsal hastalýklara yönelik farkýndalýðý artýrmak ve damgalamayý azaltmak için okul programlarýndan yararlanmalarý önerilebilir.

Anahtar Kelimeler: Damgalama, ergen; ruhsal hastalýk; sosyal mesafe; tutum.

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