UNIVERSITY STUDENTS' ATTITUDES TOWARD MENTAL ILLNESS AND THEIR RELATIONSHIP TO EMPATHY

Year 2023, , 662 - 671, 30.12.2023

Gözde Bacık Yaman , Hanım Kumbul , Büşra Köyüstü , İbrahim Hüseynov , Gülin Özdamar Ünal

https://doi.org/10.17343/sdutfd.1357125

Cited By: 1

Abstract

Objective
Mental illnesses are a significant public health
problem worldwide. This study aims to determine
university students' attitudes toward mental illnesses
and examine their relationship with empathy.
Material and Method
A cross-sectional study was conducted in Turkey
between September 2022 and April 2023 through
an online survey. In the 2022-2023 academic year,
six hundred sixty-six university students completed
the questionnaire, including the Sociodemographic
Data Form, Beliefs Towards Mental Illness Scale,
and Empathy Scale. It was questioned whether the
participants had taken a course on mental illness and
whether they would share it with someone if they had
a mental illness.
Results
According to gender, the median Empathy Scale
score of females was statistically significantly higher
than that of males (p=0.085, p=<0.001, respectively).
The Beliefs about Mental Illness Scale and Empathy
Scale scores did not differ according to the department
of study (p=0,097, p=0,150, respectively). Among the
medical faculty students, the Beliefs Towards Mental
Illness Scale score was statistically significantly higher
in students who did not take a psychiatry internship
than in those who did (p=0.025). There was a low
significant negative correlation between the total
score of the Beliefs about Mental Illness Scale and
the Empathy Scale score (rho=-0,097; p=0,012).
Conclusion
University students' attitudes towards mental illnesses
differed according to the year of education and the
status of taking courses on mental illnesses. It seems
that planning training sessions on mental illnesses
may positively change attitudes.

Keywords

Attitudes Toward Mental Illness, Empathy, Stigma

ÜNİVERSİTE ÖĞRENCİLERİNİN RUHSAL HASTALIKLARA YÖNELİK TUTUMLARI VE EMPATİ İLE İLİŞKİSİ

Abstract

Amaç
Ruhsal hastalıklar dünya çapında önemli bir halk sağlığı
sorunudur. Bu araştırmada üniversite öğrencilerinin
ruhsal hastalıklara yönelik tutumlarını belirlemek
ve bunun empati ile ilişkisini incelemek amaçlanmaktadır.
Gereç Yöntem
Türkiye’de Eylül 2022 ile Nisan 2023 tarihleri arasında
çevirimiçi anket aracılığıyla kesitsel bir çalışma
gerçekleştirildi. 2022-2023 eğitim öğretim yılında üniversiteye
devam eden 666 üniversite öğrencisi Sosyodemografik
Veri Formu, Ruhsal Hastalıklara Yönelik
İnançlar Ölçeği ve Empati Ölçeğini içeren anketi
tamamladılar. Katılımcıların ruhsal hastalıklar ile ilgili
ders alıp almadıkları ve kendilerinde bir ruhsal hastalık
olduğunda bunu biriyle paylaşıp paylaşmayacakları
sorgulandı.
Bulgular
Cinsiyete göre kadınların Empati Ölçeği ortanca puanı
erkeklere göre istatiksel düzeyde anlamlı olarak
daha yüksek saptandı (sırasıyla p=0,085, p=<0,001).
Öğrencilerin öğrenim gördüğü bölüme göre Ruhsal
Hastalığa Yönelik İnançlar Ölçeği ve Empati Ölçeği
toplam puanlarının farklılık göstermediği belirlendi
(sırasıyla p=0,097, p=0,150). Tıp fakültesi öğrencileri
arasında psikiyatri stajı almayan öğrencilerin stajı
alanlara göre Ruhsal Hastalığa Yönelik İnançlar Ölçeği
toplam puanı istatistiksel olarak anlamlı düzeyde
yüksekti (p=0,025). Ruhsal Hastalığa Yönelik İnançlar
Ölçeği toplam puanı ile Empati Ölçeği puanı arasında
negatif yönde düşük düzeyde anlamlı bir korelasyon
bulundu (rho=-0,097; p=0,012).
Sonuç
Üniversite öğrencilerinin ruhsal hastalıklara karşı tutumları
eğitim yılı ve ruhsal hastalıklara yönelik ders
alma durumlarına göre farklılık göstermektedir. Ruhsal
hastalıklara yönelik eğitim oturumlarının planlanması
tutumları olumlu yönde değiştirebilir görünmektedir.

Keywords

Ruhsal hastalıklara yönelik tutumlar, Empati, Damgalanma

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