Understanding the attitudes towards mental illness among graduate students at a small midwestern religious college

Abstract Objective: To describe college students’, specifically health care professionals in-training, attitudes towards individuals diagnosed with mental illness. Participants: Graduate students (n=214) at a small midwestern college. Sixty-two percent enrolled in community psychology; 38% in nursing; and 30% from other graduate programs. Almost all were female (97%) and white (70%). Methods: A cross-sectional electronic survey designResults: Community psychology students had significantly more empathy towards individuals with mental illness then other graduate students (p<0.05). Other graduate students (p=0.04) and nursing students (p=0.010) had significantly more acceptance toward deinstitutionalization as compared to community psychology students. Those who indicated higher levels of individual knowledge and personal experience with mental illness had less stigma and pessimistic attitudes (p<0.05). Conclusions: Health care professionals in-training have underlying stigma regarding individuals diagnosed with mental illness. It is imperative for our institutions of higher learning to provide educational opportunities to help decrease this stigma.