Top

Published in:

01-04-2017 | Original Paper

Decreasing the Stigma of Mental Illness Through a Student-Nurse Mentoring Program: A Qualitative Study

Authors: J. Konadu Fokuo, Virginia Goldrick, Jeanette Rossetti, Carol Wahlstrom, Carla Kocurek, Jonathon Larson, Patrick Corrigan

Published in: Community Mental Health Journal | Issue 3/2017

Abstract

Stigma is defined as endorsing prejudicial attitudes about mental illness leading to discriminatory behaviors. It undermines the quality of medical care received by people with mental illness. Research suggests contact based interventions are effective in reducing stigma and increasing positive attitudes towards people with mental illness. This paper describes the development of a consumer led student-nurse mentoring program as part of nursing student education. People with lived mental health experience would mentor student nurses regarding the harmful effects of stigma and the beneficial outcomes of affirming attitudes. Seventy members of stakeholder groups (people with lived mental health experience and student nurses) participated in focus groups. Qualitative analyses revealed themes across stakeholder groups regarding: perceived mental health stigma from nurses, ways to reduce stigma, target message for the mentorship program, characteristics of mentors and logistics in developing such a program within the student nurse curricula.

Aggarwal, N. R. (2012). Attitudes of students towards people with mental ill health and impact on learning and well-being: Attitudes of students towards people with mental ill health disorders and impact on learning and well-being. Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs, 12(1), 37–44. http://doi.org/10.1111/j.1471-3802.2010.01193.x.CrossRef

Aker, S., Aker, A. A., Boke, O., Dundar, C., Sahin, A. R., & Peksen, Y. (2007). The attitude of medical students to psychiatric patients and their disorders and the influence of psychiatric study placements in bringing about changes in attitude. Israel Journal of Psychiatry and Related Sciences, 44(3), 204.PubMed

Arboleda-Flórez, J., & Sartorius, N. (Eds.). (2008). Understanding the stigma of mental illness: Theory and interventions. Chichester: John Wiley & Sons.

Corrigan, P. W., Morris, S. B., Michaels, P. J., Rafacz, J. D., & Rüsch, N. (2012). Challenging the public stigma of mental illness: A meta-analysis of outcome studies. Psychiatric Services, 63(10), 963–973.PubMedCrossRef

Corrigan, P. W., Powell, K. J., & Michaels, P. J. (2013). The effects of news stories on the stigma of mental illness. The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 201(3), 179–182.PubMedCrossRef

Corrigan, P. W., Vega, E., Larson, J., Michaels, P. J., McClintock, G., Krzyzanowski, R., & Buchholz, B., et al. (2013). The California schedule of key ingredients for contact-based antistigma programs. Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal, 36(3), 173.PubMedCrossRef

Corrigan, P. W., Michaels, P. J., Vega, E., Gause, M., Larson, J., Krzyzanowski, R., & Botcheva, L. (2014). Key ingredients to contact-based stigma change: A cross-validation. Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal, 37(1), 62.PubMedCrossRef

Davidson, L., Borg, M., Marin, I., Topor, A., Mezzina, R., & Sells, D. (2005). Processes of recovery in serious mental illness: Findings from a multinational study. American Journal of Psychiatric Rehabilitation, 8(3), 177–201.CrossRef

Druss, B. G., Rosenheck, R. A., Desai, M. M., & Perlin, J. B. (2002a). Quality of preventive medical care for patients with mental disorders. Medical Care, 40(2), 129–136.PubMedCrossRef

Druss, B. G., Rosenheck, R. A., Desai, M. M., & Perlin, J. B. (2002b). Quality of preventive medical care for patients with mental disorders. Medical Care, 40(2), 129–136.PubMedCrossRef

Economou, M., Peppou, L. E., Louki, E., & Stefanis, C. N. (2012). Medical students’ beliefs and attitudes towards schizophrenia before and after undergraduate psychiatric training in Greece: Schizophrenia stigma in medical students. Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences, 66(1), 17–25. http://doi.org/10.1111/j.1440-1819.2011.02282.x.PubMedCrossRef

Gough, K., & Happell, B. (2009). Undergraduate nursing students attitude to mental health nursing: A cluster analysis approach. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 18(22), 3155–3164. http://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2702.2008.02764.x.PubMedCrossRef

Griffiths, K. M., Carron-Arthur, B., Parsons, A., & Reid, R. (2014). Effectiveness of programs for reducing the stigma associated with mental disorders. A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. World Psychiatry, 13(2), 161–175.PubMedPubMedCentralCrossRef

Holzinger, A., Beck, M., Munk, I., & Weithaas, S., et al. (2003). [Stigma as perceived by schizophrenics and depressives]. Psychiatrische Praxis, 30(7), 395–401.PubMedCrossRef

Jones, S., Howard, L., & Thornicroft, G. (2008). ‘Diagnostic overshadowing’: Worse physical health care for people with mental illness. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 118(3), 169–171PubMedCrossRef

Kassam, A., Glozier, N., Leese, M., Loughran, J., & Thornicroft, G. (2011). A controlled trial of mental illness related stigma training for medical students. BMC Medical Education, 11(1), 51.PubMedPubMedCentralCrossRef

Kidd, S. A., & Kral, M. J. (2005). Practicing participatory action research. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 52(2), 187–195.CrossRef

Koroukian, S. M., Bakaki, P. M., Golchin, N., Tyler, C., & Loue, S. (2012). Mental illness and use of screening mammography among Medicaid beneficiaries. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 42(6), 606–609.PubMedPubMedCentralCrossRef

Lewin, K. (1946). Action research and minority problems. Journal of Social Issues, 2(4), 34–46.CrossRef

Minkler M., & Wallerstein N. (Eds.), (2010). Community-based participatory research for health: From process to outcomes. John Wiley & Sons.

Papish, A., Kassam, A., Modgill, G., Vaz, G., Zanussi, L., & Patten, S. (2013). Reducing the stigma of mental illness in undergraduate medical education: A randomized controlled trial. BMC Medical Education, 13(1), 141.PubMedPubMedCentralCrossRef

Pinfold, V., Byrne, P., & Toulmin, H. (2005). Challenging stigma and discrimination in communities: A focus group study identifying UK mental health service users’ main campaign priorities. International Journal of Social Psychiatry, 51(2), 128–138.PubMedCrossRef

Ross, C. A., & Goldner, E. M. (2009). Stigma, negative attitudes and discrimination towards mental illness within the nursing profession: A review of the literature. Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing, 16(6), 558–567. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2850.2009.01399.x.PubMedCrossRef

Sadow, D., & Ryder, M. (2008). Reducing stigmatizing attitudes held by future health professionals: The person is the message. Psychological Services, 5(4), 362.CrossRef

Sadow, D., Ryder, M., & Webster, D. (2002). Is education of health professionals encouraging stigma towards the mentally ill? Journal of Mental Health, 11(6), 657–665.CrossRef

Sercu, C., Ayala, R. A., & Bracke, P. (2015). How does stigma influence mental health nursing identities? An ethnographic study of the meaning of stigma for nursing role identities in two Belgian Psychiatric Hospitals. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 52(1), 307–316.PubMedCrossRef

Strauss, A., & Corbin, J. (1998). Basics of qualitative research. Techniques and procedures for developing grounded theory. Thousand Oaks: SAGE Publications Inc.

Sullivan, G., Han, X., Moore, S., & Kotrla, K. (2006). Disparities in hospitalization for diabetes among persons with and without co-occurring mental disorders. Psychiatric Services, 57(8), 1126–1131.PubMedCrossRef

Thornicroft, G., Rose, D., Kassam, A., & Sartorius, N. (2007). Stigma: Ignorance, prejudice or discrimination? The British Journal of Psychiatry, 190(3), 192–193.PubMedCrossRef

Title: Decreasing the Stigma of Mental Illness Through a Student-Nurse Mentoring Program: A Qualitative Study
Authors: J. Konadu Fokuo
Virginia Goldrick
Jeanette Rossetti
Carol Wahlstrom
Carla Kocurek
Jonathon Larson
Patrick Corrigan
Publication date: 01-04-2017
Publisher: Springer US
Published in: Community Mental Health Journal / Issue 3/2017
Print ISSN: 0010-3853
Electronic ISSN: 1573-2789
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-016-0016-4

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

Decreasing the Stigma of Mental Illness Through a Student-Nurse Mentoring Program: A Qualitative Study

Abstract

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Please log in to get access to this content

Other articles of this Issue 3/2017

A Successful Implementation Strategy to Support Adoption of Decision Making in Mental Health Services

Housing as a Resource for Justice-Involved Women

Opportunities for Integrating Physical Health Within Assertive Community Treatment Teams: Results from Practitioner Focus Groups

Factors Associated with Perceived Depression of Korean Adults: Secondary Data from the Korean Community Health Survey

Prediction of Mental Health Services Use One Year After Regular Referral to Specialized Care Versus Referral to Stepped Collaborative Care

Integrated Dual Disorder Treatment Implementation in a Large State Sample