Dataset Information

Direct and moderating effects of personality on stigma towards mental illness.

ABSTRACT:

Background

While many studies have explored the concept and correlates of stigma towards individuals with mental illness, few have investigated the role of personality in this process. In the current study, we firstly examined the relationship between personality and stigma towards mental illness; and then explored the moderating effects of personality traits on the relationship between contact experience/s and stigma.

Methods

Participants were recruited from public medical (N?=?502) and nursing schools (N?=?500) from April to September 2016 in Singapore for this cross-sectional survey, and they were randomly assigned to a vignette describing one of the following mental disorders: major depressive disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, alcohol abuse, schizophrenia, and dementia. Stigma was measured by the 'Personal and Perceived scales of the Depression Stigma Scale' and the 'Social Distance Scale'. These scales together had a 3-factor structure based on a previous national study in Singapore, namely 'weak-not-sick', 'dangerous/unpredictable' and 'social distance'. Personality was measured by the 20-item short form of the International Personality Item Pool-five factor model measure.

Results

Regression suggested agreeableness and openness to experience were negatively associated with all three domains of stigma. 'Weak-not-sick' and extraversion were positively associated; and 'social distance' was positively associated with higher scores on conscientiousness and neuroticism. Both close- and non-close contact were associated with more positive attitudes towards mental illness among the participants. Openness to experience moderated the relationships of close contact experience with 'weak-not-sick' and 'dangerous/unpredictable', but in different directions. The association between close contact and 'social distance' were moderated by agreeableness.

Conclusions

Unlike non-close contact experience, close contact with people with mental illness worked differently on stigma for individuals with different personality traits. Future studies are needed to further explore the underlying mechanisms for such differences.

SUBMITTER: Yuan Q

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6219152 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Direct and moderating effects of personality on stigma towards mental illness.

Yuan Qi Q Seow Esmond E Abdin Edimansyah E Chua Boon Yiang BY Ong Hui Lin HL Samari Ellaisha E Chong Siow Ann SA Subramaniam Mythily M

BMC psychiatry 20181106 1

<h4>Background</h4>While many studies have explored the concept and correlates of stigma towards individuals with mental illness, few have investigated the role of personality in this process. In the current study, we firstly examined the relationship between personality and stigma towards mental illness; and then explored the moderating effects of personality traits on the relationship between contact experience/s and stigma.<h4>Methods</h4>Participants were recruited from public medical (N = 5 ...[more]

PMID: 30400846

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Project description:OBJECTIVES:To assess stigma towards people with mental illness among Singapore medical and nursing students using the Opening Minds Stigma Scale for Health Care Providers (OMS-HC), and to examine the relationship of students' stigmatising attitudes with sociodemographic and education factors. DESIGN AND SETTING:Cross-sectional study conducted in Singapore PARTICIPANTS: The study was conducted among 1002 healthcare (502?medical and 500?nursing) students during April to September 2016. Students had to be Singapore citizens or permanent residents and enrolled in public educational institutions to be included in the study. The mean (SD) age of the participants was 21.3 (3.3) years, with the majority being females (71.1%). 75.2% of the participants were Chinese, 14.1% were Malays, and 10.7% were either Indians or of other ethnicity. METHODS:Factor analysis was conducted to validate the OMS-HC scale in the study sample and to examine its factor structure. Descriptive statistics and multivariate linear regression were used to examine sociodemographic and education correlates. RESULTS:Factor analysis revealed a three-factor structure with 14 items. The factors were labelled as attitudes towards help-seeking and people with mental illness, social distance and disclosure. Multivariable linear regression analysis showed that medical students were found to be associated with lower total OMS-HC scores (P<0.05), less negative attitudes (P<0.001) and greater disclosure (P<0.05) than nursing students. Students who had a monthly household income of below S$4000 had more unfavourable attitudes than those with an income of SGD$10 000 and above (P<0.05). Having attended clinical placement was associated with more negative attitudes (P<0.05) among the students. CONCLUSION:Healthcare students generally possessed positive attitudes towards help-seeking and persons with mental illness, though they preferred not to disclose their own mental health condition. Academic curriculum may need to enhance the component of mental health training, particularly on reducing stigma in certain groups of students.

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Dataset Information

Direct and moderating effects of personality on stigma towards mental illness.

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Publications

Direct and moderating effects of personality on stigma towards mental illness.

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