Psychology Commons^™

Applying The Social Norms Approach To Help Seeking Behavior In The Military, Janette Hamilton

Theses and Dissertations

OBJECTIVE: The study assessed the applicability of the social norms approach to help-seeking behavior in the military by exploring whether Service Members are affected by perceptions of peers’ beliefs about stigma related barriers to mental health care. METHOD: Data were collected from members of the Virginia National Guard (N= 84) during Yellow Ribbon events. Using surveys, Service Members’ own perceptions and their perceptions of their peers’ beliefs about barriers to seeking psychological care were gathered. RESULTS: Participants’ own beliefs about barriers to care were positively correlated with perceptions of peers’ beliefs. Variance in help-seeking status was better accounted for by …

Stereotypes And Patient-Provider Communication: Testing The Effects Of Depression, Socioeconomic Status, And Race, Amy N. Kerr

Dissertations

The current project included a pilot and primary study with experimental designs to explore the impact that a patient's race, mental health and socioeconomic status (SES) have on impression formation, affective reactions, and communication with patients. The

medical literature shows that health disparities exist for minorities and individuals with low socioeconomic statuses (Adler & Ostrove, 1999). In addition individuals with severe mental illness receive low quality care for their physical health in comparison to those presenting only a physical illness (Lawrence & Kisely, 2010).

To explore this phenomenon, pilot study participants read one of eight descriptions of a man visiting …

The Impact Of Acculturation And Labeling On African Americans' Stigmatization Of Mental Illness, Tahirah Abdullah

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

Although African Americans endorse more stigma towards those with mental illnesses than European Americans and are quite susceptible to stigma’s detrimental effects on help-seeking for mental health problems, stigma has not been adequately studied for African Americans. Given that stigma is a key barrier to obtaining help for mental health problems, it is imperative that we gain a more nuanced understanding of stigma. This study used experimental design and vignettes to examine the influence of acculturation and labeling on African Americans’ stigmatization of depression, social phobia, alcohol dependence, and schizophrenia. Results indicated that schizophrenia was generally the most stigmatized disorder …

The Student Perspective: An Exploration Of The Experiences And Needs Of University Students With Mental Illness, Hannah Lee Gammon

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

There is a gap in the current literature concerning the study of university students with mental illness. Particularly, very few qualitative studies have been conducted in which interviews with university students with mental illness have yielded knowledge about the population's experiences and needs. The present study, employing a Participatory Action Research (PAR) approach, was designed to promote a more accurate perception of the lives of university students with mental illness by allowing the voices of members of this group to be heard. Eight matriculating university students who self-identified with mental illness participated in this exploratory PAR initiative. The study involved …

Hiv-Related Stigmatization In Treatment Settings: Effects On Patient Comfort, Risk Disclosure, And Treatment Decisions, Jessica Deanne Naughton

Psychology - Dissertations

The major focus for the present study was to examine the effects of provider stigmatization on the medical care of HIV+ patients, by using an experimental paradigm and examining a conceptual framework to clarify the relationship between provider stigmatization and negative treatment outcomes. Initial qualitative findings from focus groups (n = 18) indicated that several key elements of stigmatizing treatment experiences included judgmental and condescending language, patient avoidance, increased physical distance between patient and provider during conversations and procedures, and use of extra, unnecessary precautions (e.g. use of extra gloves, masks). These provider behaviors were experimentally manipulated and incorporated into …

How Would You Feel? Stigma And Self-Esteem In Student Responses To Intimate Partner Violence Vignettes, Taylor Lynn Hall

Graduate Masters Theses

Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) is a public health issue defined as "a constellation of abusive and controlling behaviors including psychological abuse, isolation, threats, stalking, and physical violence that taken together create a climate of fear and intimidation that maintain one partner in a position of domination and control with the other partner in a position of subordination and compliance" (Family Violence Prevention Fund 2004; Campbell 2002). The current study was carried out at the University of Massachusetts at Boston (UMB), and explores the relationship between being a victim of IPV, self-esteem, and stigma across gender and other characteristics. Approximately 250 …

Stigma And Knowledge: A Questionnaire And Literature Review, Melissa L. Pierce

ETD Archive

The main purpose of this study is to show a link between lack of knowledge about mental illness and stigmatizing attitudes towards those with mental illnesses. The first hypothesis, that stigma would be correlated with a lack of knowledge about mental illnesses was confirmed. The majority of results indicate that more knowledge about mental illness in general or about anxiety and/or schizophrenia is associated with less stigmatizing or negative attitudes. Some results didn't support the first hypothesis and these results show that some negative or stigmatizing responses were associated with more estimated knowledge about schizophrenia and/or anxiety.The second hypothesis was …

A Psychoeducational Approach To Improving College Student Mental Health, Harlan Keith Higginbotham

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Mental health problems among the college population continue to increase in terms of frequency and severity. At the same time, the number of high school graduates who enroll in institutes of higher learning is also increasing making the college years an ideal opportunity to address existing and emerging mental and psychological challenges. Traditional counseling center services--while shown to be effective--are not appropriate for all students and are too resource intensive to meet the full need of the college population. Creative strategies are necessary to address the growing need for mental health services among college and university students that are resource …

The Impact Of Film On The Construction And Deconstruction Of Mental Illness Stigmatization In Young Adults, Michael Perciful

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

The current study examined the impact of film on participants' knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors towards people with schizophrenia. Films viewed in the current study included a fear-based inaccurate, likeable-inaccurate, and an educational-accurate depiction of schizophrenia. A control group was included. A total of 106 participants were recruited. Participants completed pre and post questionnaires separated by a 45-minute excerpt of a film. A 2 x 4 mixed design ANOVA was implemented to determine the effects of the films on measures of knowledge and attitudes. A Chi-square analysis was used to determine whether or not the films would impact potential behavior. Manipulation …

An Exploration Of Pathological Gambling Among Diverse Populations, Ayana N. Perkins

Psychology Dissertations

This study used an ecological perspective to identify pathological gambling (PG) risk and protective factors, nonclinical resources, and prevention strategies based on the perceptions of Georgia stakeholders. With an ecological perspective, human behavior is perceived as an outcome of the interaction between the individual and various factors in their social environment. The ecological perspective is especially suitable for examining the higher PG prevalence among ethnic minority groups since these populations have been documented as encountering greater exposure to PG social and environmental risk factors (Smedley & Syme, 2000). To assess prevention needs, data were obtained from a 2008 needs assessment …

The Social Negotiation Of Ambiguous In-Between Stigmatized Identities: Investigating Identity Processes In Multiracial And Bisexual People, Vali Dagmar Kahn

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

To date, most bisexual and multiracial identity models in psychology capture a largely internal developmental process (Collins, 2000; Kich, 1992; Weinberg, Williams & Pryor, 1994). However, individuals learn to manage their socially stigmatized identities in social interactions (Goffman, 1963). While the demands to socially negotiate stigmatized identity affect all minority peoples, individuals with in-between ambiguous stigmatized identities, such as multiracial and bisexual people, must negotiate also being situated at the margins of their own reference groups (e.g. heterosexual and gay/lesbian). Using a comparative grounded theory approach, this study explored the question: How do experiences of socially negotiating an in-between ambiguous …

The Effect Of Gender Role And Males' Attitudes Toward Receiving Mental Health Therapy, Christina H. Thomas

Graduate Theses

The purpose of this research study was to build upon previous research pertaining to gender role and young adult male attitudes towards receiving mental health therapy. An additional purpose of the study was to explore the relationship between media exposure and attitude toward mental health therapy. The first hypothesis was that there would be a positive correlation between gender role scores and attitudes with the BEM Sex- Role Inventory (BSRI) and with scores on attitudes with the Attitudes Towards Seeking Professional Psychological Help Scale (ATSPPHS) in young adult males. The second hypothesis was that young adult males who watched a …

Military Mental Health: Problem Recognition, Treatment-Seeking, And Barriers, Laura Bein

Dissertations (1934 -)

Substantial numbers of military troops are serving overseas in military operations and are returning home with elevated reports of psychological symptoms; however, a treatment gap exists between those reporting mental health problems and those receiving appropriate treatment. Stigma has been cited as a potential barrier to treatment-seeking, although few studies distinguish between perceived and public stigma or between stigma for having a mental illness versus that for seeking treatment.

In the present study, Army National Guard soldiers returning from deployment to Iraq were asked to complete questionnaires assessing psychological symptoms, as well as reports of perceived stigma from self and …

The Prejudice Paradox (Or Discrimination Is Not Dead): Systematic Discrimination In Forced Choice Employment Decisions, Paula M. Brochu

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This research examined discriminatory responding in a forced choice employment decision paradigm, using a justification-suppression perspective to interpret the findings. In this paradigm, participants play the role of employers and make employment choices between two excellent and similarly qualified individuals that differ only on one dimension. In the first three studies, participants chose between two individuals who were described as differing only in ethnicity (European vs. Middle Eastern), gender (Male vs. Female), religion (Christian vs. Muslim), age (Young vs. Old), height (Tall vs. Short), weight (Average Weight vs. Overweight), nationality (Canadian vs. Immigrant), or sexual orientation (Heterosexual vs. Homosexual). Patterns …

African American Men Facing Homelessness And Co-Occurring Disorders: A Qualitative Investigation Of Multiple Stigmas, Rebecca C. Mayor

Dissertations (1934 -)

Homelessness is a pervasive and problematic phenomenon, and programs designed to assist individuals experiencing homelessness and reduce homelessness face a number of challenges. One such challenge involves difficulty engaging and retaining clientele experiencing homelessness in supportive services (Bhui et al., 2006; Ng & McQuistion, 2004; Padgett et al., 2008). The literature suggests that one explanation for this difficulty may involve the stigmatization experiences that individuals facing homelessness accumulate over time; previous studies have indicated that holding a marginalized position in society may make individuals experiencing homelessness more reluctant to engage in services (because of social rejection fears) and/or more sensitive …

The Influence Of Perceptual Accuracy On Willingness To Seek Help Among College Freshmen, Kathryn Conley

Theses and Dissertations

OBJECTIVE: The current study explored the applicability of the social norms approach to a new domain of study: psychological help-seeking. A number of questions that must be answered to determine whether the social norms model can be applied effectively to the help-seeking domain guided the study. METHOD: Data were collected from freshmen at five colleges and universities in the Mid-Atlantic region (N = 3021) during freshman orientation week. The study used a cross sectional design to examine personal attitudes and behaviors related to help-seeking as well as perceptions about others’ attitudes and behaviors related to help-seeking. RESULTS: Most participants reported …

The Impact Of Psychological Acceptance And Sibling Relationship Quality On Depression And Perceived Stigma For Youth Living With Hiv, Kara E. Snead

Psychology Dissertations

Compared to their uninfected peers, youth living with HIV experience greater distress related to a multitude of stressors they face. In order to enhance the lives of youth who are living with HIV, it is important to identify the personal and social resources that these individuals might bring to coping with their disease. Using the compensatory hypothesis and resiliency theory as conceptual frameworks, the present study examined the function of both psychological acceptance and sibling relationships for youths in managing depression and HIV-related stigma. In addition, the current study investigated the interactive effects of psychological acceptance and sibling relationship quality …

A Gay Savior: Reducing Anti-Gay Feelings With Gay Male Kindness Following Ostracism, Kenneth Michniewicz

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Social scientists have extensively examined ways of reducing negative feelings toward minority groups. However, no research has examined the ability for passive ostracism, the implicit exclusion of an individual by one's peers, to reduce such negative feelings despite evidence that such exclusion can yield similar positive benefits. The present study sought to address this deficit in the literature by exploring whether or not implicit ostracism by one's peers can cause a kind gesture by a stigmatized minority group member (gay men) to improve general perceptions of the associated group. A sample of 211 undergraduate students from the University of South …

Middle School Students' Willingness To Engage In Different Types Of Activities With Peers: The Effect Of Presence Of Adhd Symptoms And Familiarity With Adhd, Melanie M. Mcmahan

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In addition to the increased risk they face for social and academic problems, adolescents with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) must also contend with stigma attached to the disorder. For instance, youth prefer greater social distance from students described with ADHD symptoms than from peers with asthma (Walker, Coleman, Lee, Squire, & Friesen, 2008), and adolescents are also reluctant to engage in activities (e.g., go to the movies, study together) with a peer described with ADHD symptoms compared to peers described as obese or autistic (Law, Sinclair, & Fraser, 2007). Familiarity with individuals diagnosed with ADHD may influence adolescents' perceptions of their …

Attitudes Toward Help-Seeking And Mental Health Among College Athletes: Impact Of A Psycho-Educational Workshop, Sandra R. Ackerman

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

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Individual Contributions To Stigma And Attitudes Toward Help-Seeking Among Rural Emerging Adult College Students, Margaret Gsell

Theses and Dissertations

Rural communities are by definition less densely populated and more geographically isolated than non-rural communities, which often translates into higher rates of poverty and poor access to health care, especially mental health care. Previous research has found that persons residing in rural communities endorse higher rates of stigmatized beliefs towards individuals with mental illness and subsequently lower rates of professional help-seeking when compared to persons residing in non-rural communities. This study evaluated whether these attitudes were also present among emerging adults (18-24 years old) who had lived in a rural community for at least 10 years and were currently enrolled …

Perceived Organizational Support As A Predictor Of Stigma And Treatment Seeking For Psychological Problems, Christie Kelley

All Theses

Research has shown that the stigma of psychological problems is related to decreased treatment seeking for psychological problems. Utilizing a longitudinal design and a military sample, this study found contrary results, instead supporting the relationship between Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Symptomology and treatment seeking. A relationship between Perceived Organizational Support (POS), or how much organizations value the contributions and well-being of their employees (Eisenberger et al., 1986), and PTSD Symptomology also emerged. POS was negatively related to stigma, and stigma partially mediated the relationship between POS and PTSD Symptomology. Contrary to hypotheses, stigma did not mediate the relationship between …

The Stigmatization Of Mental Illness And Drug Addiction Among The Criminally Involved, Brenda Arsenault

Master's Theses

This study examined the perceived stigma of mental illness compared to drug addiction among a sample of criminally involved persons who receive probation services through the Cook County Adult Probation Department. The first section of the study surveyed current probation clients using a modification of the PSAS scale by Luoma, Rye, Kohlenberg, Hayes, Fletcher & Pratte (2010), and assessed levels of stigma consciousness with a modified version of the SCQ (Pinel, 1999). Three groups of participants were surveyed for their perceptions of stigma and stigma consciousness. The first group consisted of drug probation case management clients with no known mental …

Exploration Of The Meaning Of Depression Among Psychologists: A Quantitative And Qualitative Approach, Akira Murata

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

While depression is considered the most common mental illness regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status, compared to research on the general population, depression among psychologists has received little attention. However, as they are one of the major mental health care professionals, psychologists' mental health could greatly affect their clients' mental health, which raises competency and ethical concerns regarding their work as clinicians. In order to learn more about depression in this group, questionnaires were mailed to 800 randomly selected psychologists in the state of Colorado to examine the prevalence of depression among psychologists, how they dealt with their …

Sexual Assault, Perceived Stigma, And Christian Fundamentalism: Understanding Support Seeking Among Victims., Sean Chandler Rife

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

For women, sexual assault is a widespread problem with numerous psychological consequences, yet many victims do not seek support. The present study investigates this lack of support seeking in the context of stigma. It is hypothesized that sexual assault victims who perceive themselves as stigmatized (due to their status as a sexual assault victim) will be less likely to seek support than those who do not perceive themselves as stigmatized. It is also hypothesized that Christian fundamentalism will play a role in the stigmatization of sexual assault victims, with higher degrees of fundamentalism being associated with greater likelihood of self-perceptions …

Perceptions Of Mental Health Stigma And Discrimination In A Mexican American Sample, Jeff D. Wright

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The stigma of mental health problems between Mexican Americans and White non-Hispanic European Americans was investigated and measured by attitudes toward seeking help and the amount of social distance desired from individuals with mental health problems. The stigma of mental health has been identified as a barrier to accessing mental health services among Mexican Americans and men in general. Men from both groups access mental health services at a significantly lower rate than women from both groups. This study contributed to research and practice by examining the possible differences in the level of stigma toward mental health problems between Mexican …

How Do People React To Someone Who Has Recently Tested For Hiv? An Experimental Study Of The Effects Of Sexual Orientation And Hiv Status, Stacie A. Wilson

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

HIV/AIDS-related stigma remains prevalent in our society despite advances in medical treatment, and appears to be based on fear of the illness and negative attitudes toward gay individuals. Previous literature examining the phenomenon, enactment, and consequences of HIV/AIDS-related stigma has primarily been based on self-report measures examining participants' imagined reactions toward a person with HIV/AIDS (PWHA). The present study attempted to expand on the self-report findings and contribute uniquely to the literature by examining participants' attitudes toward an individual believed to be gay and HIV-positive after a real-life interaction. This study, which involved the use of a confederate whose sexual …

Effects Of Stigma, Sense Of Community, And Self-Esteem On The Hiv Sexual Risk Behaviors Of African American And Latino Men Who Have Sex With Men, Teresa Jacobs Finlayson

Psychology Dissertations

African-American and Latino men who have sex with men (MSM) bear a disproportionately large burden of the Human Immunodefiency Virus (HIV) epidemic in the United States. To further enhance HIV prevention efforts among men of color, a survey was conducted within New York City’s house ball community; a community largely comprised of racial and ethnic minority persons. Time-space sampling was adapted to recruit participants for the survey from venues frequented by members of the house ball community. Using logistic regression analysis, this study examined the effects of perceived stigma, enacted stigma, sense of community and self-esteem on unprotected anal intercourse …