Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Email this article to a Colleague Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to My Articles & Searches Download to citation manager Citing Articles via HighWire Articles by Hanson, M. D. Articles by Eva, K. W. PubMed Citation Articles by Hanson, M. D. Articles by Eva, K. W. Child/Adolescent Psychiatry Other Education and Training Issues

Does Mental Illness Stigma Contribute to Adolescent Standardized Patients’ Discomfort With Simulations of Mental Illness and Adverse Psychosocial Experiences?

Received May 1, 2007; revised August 27, 2007; accepted September 26, 2007. Drs. Hanson, MacMillan, and Niec are affiliated with the Departments of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences and Paediatrics; Dr. Eva is affiliated with the Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics; Ms. Pietrantonio is affiliated with the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences; Ms. Johnson was affiliated with the Faculty of Science; and Mr. High is affiliated with the Faculty of Health Sciences. All author affiliations are with McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Address correspondence to Mark D. Hanson, M.D., Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, 1200 Main St. W, Hamilton, Ontario L8N 3Z5; hansonm{at}mcmaster.ca (e-mail).

OBJECTIVE: Adolescent mental illness stigma-related factors may contribute to adolescent standardized patients’ (ASP) discomfort with simulations of psychiatric conditions/adverse psychosocial experiences. Paradoxically, however, ASP involvement may provide a stigma-reduction strategy. This article reports an investigation of this hypothetical association between simulation discomfort and mental illness stigma. METHODS: ASPs were randomly assigned to one of two simulation conditions: one was associated with mental illness stigma and one was not. ASP training methods included carefully written case simulations, educational materials, and active teaching methods. After training, ASPs completed the adapted Project Role Questionnaire to rate anticipated role discomfort with hypothetical adolescent psychiatric conditions/adverse psychosocial experiences and to respond to open-ended questions regarding this discomfort. A mixed design ANOVA was used to compare comfort levels across simulation conditions. Narrative responses to an open-ended question were reviewed for relevant themes. RESULTS: Twenty-four ASPs participated. A significant effect of simulation was observed, indicating that ASPs participating in the simulation associated with mental illness stigma anticipated greater comfort with portraying subsequent stigma-associated roles than did ASPs in the simulation not associated with stigma. ASPs’ narrative responses regarding their reasons for anticipating discomfort focused upon the role of knowledge-related factors. CONCLUSION: ASPs’ work with a psychiatric case simulation was associated with greater anticipated comfort with hypothetical simulations of psychiatric/adverse psychosocial conditions in comparison to ASPs lacking a similar work experience. The ASPs provided explanations for this anticipated discomfort that were suggestive of stigma-related knowledge factors. This preliminary research suggests an association between ASP anticipated role discomfort and mental illness stigma, and that ASP work may contribute to stigma reduction.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				C. I. Ping Tsao, A. Tummala, and L. W. Roberts Stigma in Mental Health Care Acad Psychiatry, April 1, 2008; 32(2): 70 - 72. [Full Text] [PDF]

Get information about faster international access.

Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2008 Academic Psychiatry. All rights reserved.

Home | Search | Current Issue | Past Issues | Subscribe | All APPI Journals | Help | Contact Us