Running head: ATTITUDES TOWARDS MENTAL ILLNESS

Attitudes of University Faculty/Staff and Students Towards Mental Illness

Psychology 4995 Honours Thesis
Tamara Constantine
The University of Lethbridge

ATTITUDES TOWARDS MENTAL ILLNESS

Abstract
This study focuses on university faculty/staff and students attitudes towards mental illness.
Despite the Canadian laws that dictate the way peoples behaviour should be towards individuals
who are part of a minority, people still hold negative attitudes towards those with mental illness,
varying with age, gender, occupation, and level of education. Research on this area had focused
mostly on participant groups who work specifically with people who have mental illness. This
study focuses on people who work with a variety of individuals on a daily basis. A 22 question
online questionnaire measured the attitudes towards mental illness of faculty/staff and students at
the University of Lethbridge in three different situations: social, workplace, and financial. Both
groups revealed moderately positive attitudes towards people with mental illness in all three
situations, with the most positive in social situations ( x =4.00), less positive in workplace
situations ( x = 3.82), and least positive in financial situations ( x = 3.59). A two-way
analysis of variance analyzed the effect of group (faculty/staff vs. students) and gender on the
attitudes towards mental illness for each question. No significant differences were found due to
gender in any questions, however, females consistently scored higher. In two questions on
financial situations, differences were found due to group. As education has a positive effect on
peoples attitudes towards mental illness, perhaps people working in a facility that is committed
to education, as both of these groups do, have better attitudes towards people with mental illness.

ATTITUDES TOWARDS MENTAL ILLNESS

Attitudes of University Faculty/Staff and Students Towards Mental Illness

When mental illness strikes, stigma and the resulting discrimination can be huge roadblocks in an
individuals path to treatment, recovery, personal relationships, and career. Stigma, defined as a
label that sets a person apart from others, links him or her with undesirable characteristics and
leads to rejection or avoidance by the society... (Mojtabai, 2010, p. 705). Stigma against mental
illness is considered as an environmental risk factor, especially because it affects a persons
decision to ask for help (Van Zelst, 2009). Not seeking help for mental illness affects many areas
of ones life including employment, social life, sense of worth, and relationships. This may lead
to demoralization, including feelings of hopelessness, negative self-esteem, and even depression
(Cavelti, Kvrgic, Beck, Rusch, & Vauth, 2012). Cavelti et al., (2012) found that people diagnosed
with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder had both high levels of insight (awareness of
having a mental illness) and self-stigma (internalization of the publics negative thoughts about
mental illness), which positively correlated with feelings of demoralization.
In spite of the protective mechanisms that are put into place by people to end the
discriminatory behaviour due to stigma, it is still a problem. Protection starts with section Fifteen
of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which states that...Every individual is equal
before and under the law and has the right to the equal protection and equal benefit of the law
without discrimination and, in particular, without discrimination based on race, national or ethnic
origin, color, religion, sex, age or mental or physical disability (Canadian Charter of Rights and
Freedoms, 1982). Anti-discrimination laws were then put into place to enforce the ideas of the
Charter (Alberta Human Rights Commission, 2013). We have these laws to ensure that all
Canadians are given an equal opportunity to earn a living, enjoy services, and find a place to live.
Yet we continue to have negative attitudes towards people with mental illness. According to the

ATTITUDES TOWARDS MENTAL ILLNESS

Canadian Mental Health Association (2010), the unemployment rate in Canada for people who
had a severe mental illness was 70-90%, in comparison to the unemployment rate of 8% for
Canadians who do not suffer from a mental illness (Statistics Canada, 2014).
Across countries, we discriminate against people who have mental illnesses because it is
stigmatized. An American study by Barney, Griffiths, Jorm, & Christensen (2006), showed that
almost half (44%) of people were embarrassed to seek treatment from mental health
professionals, especially psychiatrists, and the likelihood of an individual seeking help from a
professional source was reduced by stigma and negative self and societal attitudes. According to
the Australian Bureau of Statistics (2008), 80% of males and 70% of females aged 16-24 with
mental disorders do not seek help from mental health services due to such barriers.
Unfortunately, the media are a major creator of the stigma attached to mental illness (Owen,
2012). The impact of media on the stigmatization of mental illness is shown through recent
research on movies that were shown between 1990 and 2010. Owen (2012) studied the characters
who displayed mental illnesses in these movies and found that most who were portrayed as
having schizophrenia displayed positive symptoms of delusions and hallucinations. The majority
of characters who displayed these symptoms depicted violent behaviour and approximately onethird of these characters engaged in homicidal acts. In reality, it is far more likely that a person
who has a mental illness will be the victim of a violent offence rather than a perpetrator (Stuart,
2003). As movies continue to portray individuals suffering from schizophrenia falsely as violent
and negative, people will continue to form attitudes and beliefs that are consistent with these
false portrayals.
Peoples stigmatizing attitudes impact the decisions made by organizations such as the
American Psychiatric Association. The Diagnostics and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders

ATTITUDES TOWARDS MENTAL ILLNESS

(American Psychiatric Association, 2000) changed the words used to define mental illnesses in
new revisions such as the DSM-V, due to the stigmatization of particular words over time. Words
had become so strongly stigmatized that without removing them, the DSMs definitions and
diagnostic criteria would have sounded unprofessional. For example, one of the changes made
for the DSM-V is the title of the mental illness that was previously named mental retardation to
intellectual disability due to stigmatization of the word retardation. Stigmatization of such
words is evident in people as young as fourteen. Rose, Thornicroft, Pinfold, & Kassam (2007)
found that the most frequent words chosen by fourteen year olds when describing individuals
with mental illness were negative words such as psycho, nuts, retard, and insane. If the
stigmatization of mental illness continues this way, in the next decade intellectual disability
may also be changed due to stigmatization (American Psychiatric Association, 2013).
Varying attitudes are held towards people with mental illness depending partly on a
persons occupation, age, level of education, and gender. Hansson et al. (2011) examined the
attitudes towards mental illness of mental health professionals (staff in contact with mental health
services, nurses, assistant nurses, or working in outpatient care with individuals who were
suffering from non-psychotic disorders), and of outpatients of a mental health services in
Sweden. They found that both mental health professionals and patients held negative beliefs
about people with mental illnesses. Less than half of the patients (41%) and of the staff (43%)
agreed that, most people believe a former mental health patient is just as trustworthy as the
average citizen (Hansson et al., 2011, p. 51). 62% of patients reported, most people think less
of a person who has been in a mental hospital, and 66% of patients agreed with the statement,
most people would not accept a former mental health patient as a close friend (Hansson et al.,
2011, p. 51). Staff responses showed that 50% agreed that most people believe that entering a

ATTITUDES TOWARDS MENTAL ILLNESS

mental hospital is a sign of personal failure, and 51% agreed that most people in my
community would treat a former mental health patient just as they would treat anyone (Hansson
et al., 2011, p. 51). Although 51% is only slightly more than half, it is disheartening still.
Hansson et al., (2011) concluded that negative attitudes were predominant in younger staff and in
those working in an inpatient rather than in an outpatient setting. This was attributed to the fact
that the inpatient nurses were working with people who have severe mental illness on a daily
basis, while outpatient nurses were seeing people who had less severe mental illness who were
seen as more independent. Hansson et al.s (2011) study shows that within populations in which
individuals are working closely with people who have mental illnesses, negative attitudes are
held and interventions must be developed to enable more positive relationships.
Adolescents have more negative attitudes towards people with mental disorders than
older people do. Crisp, Gelder, Goddard, & Meltzer (2005) studied adolescents attitudes towards
people with mental illness in Great Britain and found that adolescents between the ages of 16 and
19 had more negative attitudes than adults aged 20-65+ about all mental illnesses except panic
attacks. Specifically, 87% of adolescents had negative views of drug addiction, 85% of
alcoholism, 36% of severe depression, and 31% of schizophrenia. However, as the age of the
individuals increased, the attitudes became more accepting. In addition, participants who had a
higher level of education had less stigmatizing attitudes. Cook & Wang (2010) studied the
attitudes towards depression of people between the ages of 18 and 74 in Alberta. They found that
people who had a higher level of education were less likely to endorse stigma than people who
had not attended a post-secondary institution, particularly in questions pertaining to the
unpredictability and dangerousness of depression.
The attitudes of females and males can also vary due to a number of factors; perhaps one of

ATTITUDES TOWARDS MENTAL ILLNESS

them is their role. Women are socialized to be more nurturing, empathetic, and sympathetic than
men to fulfill an expressive role (e.g., caregiving, companionship, and sharing) within the family
that will maintain harmony (Parsons & Bales, 1955). The roles of females and males are
continuously changing, however, Finley & Schwartz (2006) found that fathers continue to be
perceived by children as pursuing a more instrumental role in the family (e.g., providing income,
disciplining, and protecting), rather than an expressive one. In addition, Mestre, Samper, Frias, &
Tur (2009) found that women had the ability to understand and experience another individuals
emotions, as well as another persons situation, more effectively than men.
In both Canada and Australia, males have more stigmatizing attitudes towards depression
than females (Cook & Wang, 2010; Barney, Griffiths, Jorm, & Christensen, 2006). According to
the Canadian Medical Association (2008), females discriminate against mental illness less than
males in many contexts. For instance, females are more likely than males to agree that treatment
for physical and mental health should be funded equally. Furthermore, females are more likely
than males to tell others (e.g., friends, coworkers) that a family member was diagnosed with a
mental illness. Perhaps females expressive role in the family allows them to be more sensitive to
people with mental illness. However, education seems to have a stronger impact than gender on
the attitudes towards mental illness. In Qatar, more women than men believe that mental illness is
caused by possession of evil spirits. The men in Qatar hold less stigmatizing attitudes about
mental illness because they are more educated about it than the women (Bener & Gulum 2010).
Although the studies mentioned have contributed to the literature, there is little research on
the stigmatization of mental illness in Canada, and research on this topic mostly uses university
students (Chung, Chen, & Liu, 2001; Green, 2007) and people who work in the health care
profession such as nurses, as subjects (Hansson et al., 2011). Nurses, who work with people who
have mental illnesses, may be prone to such stereotyping as they work with the seriously ill

ATTITUDES TOWARDS MENTAL ILLNESS

regularly and have more negative perceptions of mental illness. Conversely, university students
may not have much exposure to mental illness. We need to evaluate attitudes of people who
interact with diverse individuals on a regular basis.
The Present Study
According to Statistics Canada (2012) data, 78% of Canadian jobs are in the service
sector. As there is a 20% chance that anyone will experience a major mental illness in his/her
lifetime (Canadian Mental Health Association, 2013), people working in this area must see those
with mental illnesses regularly. Initially, I planned to explore the attitudes towards mental illness
of people working at a financial institution, but I failed to receive adequate approval to do so.
The present study advances current knowledge on the attitudes of people towards mental illness
by exploring the attitudes of people who interact with a variety of individuals on a daily basis,
similar to those who are part of the service sector. It uses the faculty/staff as well as students of
the University of Lethbridge, which allows for a comparison between the attitudes towards
mental illness of younger and older adults who are not normally heavily involved with the
mentally ill. I predict that females would show more empathy in their responses than males, that
people who are older would have better attitudes than people who are younger, and that overall,
the attitudes would be positive.
Method
Participants
78 members of the faculty or staff at The University of Lethbridge (males=20,
females=58) with the most common age range being 47-56 years were recruited to participate in
this study. As a comparison group, 156 undergraduate students enrolled in a first or second year
Psychology course at the University of Lethbridge (males=30, female=126), with an age range of

ATTITUDES TOWARDS MENTAL ILLNESS

17-26, were also recruited. Students received one bonus mark in their Psychology course in
exchange for participation in the study.
Research Design
The 2-by-2 design of this study included two independent variables, group (faculty/staff
vs. students) and gender (female vs. male), and one dependent variable (the level of sensitivity
one has towards mental illness), which were measured for each of the 20 questions in the
questionnaire.
Measures
A 22-question online questionnaire created specifically for this study explored peoples
attitudes towards mental illness (See Appendix for complete questionnaire). The questionnaire
asked participants to choose the age range that they fit into and their gender. The next twenty
questions measured the attitudes towards mental illness in social, workplace, and financial
situations. Seven questions measured the attitudes of people towards mental illness in social
situations, the following is an example: a person with a loved one who has a mental illness
should keep it to him/herself and not share it with others. Five questions measured the attitudes
of people towards mental illness in workplace situations, for example, if a customer seems to be
paranoid while waiting in line, an employee should assume that this person may be dangerous
and get a managers help to ensure safety, Finally, eight questions measured the attitudes of
people towards mental illness in financial questions, an example is: it is justified to spend our
tax dollars on helping people who have mental illnesses. The participants responded to all
questions using a 5-point likert scale. The scale used the following response options: 1= strongly
disagree, 2= disagree, 3= neutral, 4= agree, and 5= strongly agree, scored so that the higher the
response on the scale, the greater the sensitivity. To reduce bias, some questions were negatively

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10

worded. For example the question, all violent criminals are mentally ill is negatively worded;
therefore a person would need to disagree with the statement to exhibit a positive attitude. The
questionnaire was pilot-tested on students in a Health Sciences 1000 Introduction to Counselling
class in the Fall 2013 semester, to verify the range and accuracy of the questions.
Procedure
After I obtained approval for this study from the University of Lethbridge Human Subject
Research Ethics Committee, a general e-mail was sent to all faculty/staff inviting each person to
participate in the online questionnaire. Participants responded to the invitation e-mail to retrieve
a login ID for access to the questionnaire. Students were recruited through the universitys
internal server, PsycSona Systems, which allows a student to view open time-slots for studies,
sign up for studies, and anonymously complete questionnaires online. A consent form was
presented to the participant when beginning the online questionnaire and he/she could not
continue without clicking on the accept button.
Results
A two-way analysis of variance comparing group (faculty/staff vs. students) and gender
(female vs. male) on the attitudes towards people with mental illness in each of the social,
workplace, and financial questions was conducted using the statistical program R Studio. A
Bonferroni correction was used to adjust for multiple comparisons. My first prediction was that
females would have more positive attitudes towards mental illness than males. However, no
significant differences due to gender were found in any questions. The social situational question
a person with a loved one who has a mental illness should keep it to him/herself and not share it
with others, ( x = 4.07 vs. 3.74; see Figure 1a below) revealed a more positive attitude among
females than males. Further, the question a person who has a neighbor with a mental illness

ATTITUDES TOWARDS MENTAL ILLNESS

11

should treat him/her with kindness ( x = 4.33 vs. 4.24; see Figure 1b below) revealed more
positive attitudes in females than males. However, both differences were not significant, possibly
due to a high variance in attitudes.

Figure 1a. The mean response for all females and males as measured by scores on a 5-point likert
scale (1=least sensitive, 5=most sensitive) determining their attitudes towards mental illness in
response to the statement, a person with a loved one who has a mental illness should keep it to
him/herself and not share it with others. This difference was not statistically significant.

Figure 1b. The mean response for all females and males as measured by scores on a 5-point likert
scale determining their attitudes towards mental illness in response to the statement a person
with a neighbor who has a mental illness should treat him/her with kindness. In this case, the
scale was recoded for the negatively worded question (1=strongly agree; 5= strongly disagree)

ATTITUDES TOWARDS MENTAL ILLNESS

12

meaning that the higher the number, the more a person disagrees with the statement. This
difference was not statistically significant.

My second prediction was that older people would have more positive attitudes towards
people with mental illness than younger people. Although age was not an independent variable in
this study, it is assumed that it co-exists with status, as faculty/staff are generally older than
students. Only two significant differences were found due to group, both in attitudes towards
mental illness in financial situations. The faculty/staff group revealed a more positive attitude
than students in both questions. There was a significant main effect of group for the statement,
spending money on treatment for physical illness is more important than spending money on
treatment for mental illness F (1, 229) = 6.597, p = 0.011. The faculty/staff group had a higher
mean ( x = 4.34) than the students ( x = 3.93; See Figure 2a below), indicating a more
positive attitude. The second significant main effect of group was shown to the statement, it is
justified to spend our tax dollars on helping people who have mental illness (F (1, 230) = 14.90,
p = < 0.001), with the faculty/staff group revealing a higher mean ( x = 4.45) than students (
x = 3.99; See Figure 2b).
Finally, my third prediction was that overall the university community would have a
positive attitude towards people with mental illness. This hypothesis was partially correct, as they
showed an overall moderately positive attitude towards mental illness in all three situations. The
most positive attitudes were revealed in social situations ( x =4.00), less positive attitudes were
revealed in workplace situations ( x =3.82), and the least positive attitudes were revealed in
financial situations ( x =3.59).

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13

Figure 2a. The mean response for faculty/staff and students as measured by scores on a 5-point
likert scale determining their attitudes towards mental illness in response to the statement
spending money on treatment for physical illness is more important than spending money on
treatment for mental illness. In this case, the scale was recoded for the negatively worded
question (1=strongly agree; 5= strongly disagree) meaning that the higher the number, the more a
person disagrees with the statement.

Figure 2b. The mean response for faculty/staff and students as measured by scores on a 5-point
likert scale (1=least sensitive, 5=most sensitive) determining their attitudes towards mental
illness in response to the statement it is justified to spend our tax dollars on helping people who
have mental illness.
Discussion

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Past studies have found that a persons gender (Cook & Wang, 2010), age (Crisp et al.,
2005), and level of education (Crisp et al., 2005; Cook & Wang, 2010; Bener & Ghuloum, 2010)
have an effect on their attitude towards mental illness. However, level of education seems to have
the strongest effect (Bener & Ghuloum, 2010). The present study compared the effects of gender
and age/status on university faculty/staff and students attitudes towards people with mental
illness in social, financial, and workplace situations. The major finding is that there are few
differences between faculty/staff and students towards people with mental illness, only seen for
financial situations. Perhaps this is due to the fact that the faculty/staff group has a steady
income; therefore they may think about the way money is allocated more than students do. No
other significant results were found between the attitudes of the people in the faculty/staff and
student groups. My prediction that faculty/staff would have more positive attitudes than students
was not proven correct. I believe this may be due to the fact that the participants are all spending
their time in the same environment and interacting with the same people.
Based on the differences in female and male gender roles, females are theorized to be
more nurturing, empathetic, and sympathetic than males because they must maintain harmony in
the family (Parsons & Bales, 1955; Finley & Schwartz, 2006). Research studies have
corroborated this concept, revealing that females have more positive attitudes towards people
who have mental illness than males do (Cook & Wang, 2010). In the present study, I predicted
females would have more positive attitudes towards mental illness than males do, however, no
significant differences were found due to gender. Females had more positive attitudes towards
people with mental illness in social situations independent of which group they were a part of,
although not significantly so.

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15

Past findings have revealed that a persons level of education has a strong effect on
his/her attitude towards people with mental illness (Cook & Wang, 2010; Crisp et al., 2005). The
effect of education has been strong enough to overpower the effect of gender on a persons
attitude towards mental illness. In Qatar, men have better attitudes, presumably because they are
more educated than the women (Bener & Ghuloum, 2010). Perhaps, because the present study
was conducted on individuals who are highly educated and who are working in a facility that has
a commitment to education, the same result occurred. As a whole, the university community has
a moderately positive attitude towards people with mental illness, more so in social situations.
This is probably because they work in an educational facility. Crisp et al., (2005) assumed that
education could have influenced their participants, who were more highly educated, to select
more socially acceptable answers. This could be a possibility among both of my participant
groups. But this finding may also reveal the importance of education for decreasing
stigmatization against mental illness (Cook & Wang, 2005).
Another possible reason that the faculty/staff and students have moderately positive
attitudes is that they are not restricted to whom they interact with on a daily basis as other people
who work with a specific group may be. For example, a mental health nurse who is restricted to
interacting with people who have mental illnesses is more prone to endorsing the stereotypes
he/she hears and has more negative attitudes towards people with mental illness (Hansson et al.,
2011).
Limitations
A limitation of this study is that both of the participant groups were sampled from a
population that worked in the same environment, one that has a commitment to education. Future
research could compare the attitudes of two groups of people from the general population who

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16

are not working in the same environment. For example, one could contrast the attitudes of people
who work in a university setting and of a random sample of people at a mall in a small city.
Implications
Based on past and present findings, it may be effective to target males more than females
and those who are not enrolled in an educational institution, to reduce the stigma against mental
illness. However, possibly the causal factor is that individuals are not valuing others for who they
are. Perhaps focusing on educating individuals on the ideas of the Canadian Charter of Rights
and Freedoms (1982) would be helpful to remind us to value others for who they are-- not
depending on their label. Future research could focus on the effectiveness of this approach.

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17

References
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Appendix: Sample Paper Copy of Questionnaire

Attitudes Towards Mental Illness
Please select the answer that applies to you:
1. Which age range do you fit into?
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)

17-26
27-36
37-46
47-56
57-66

2. What sex are you?

a.
b.

Male
Female

T
Please answer each question by selecting the number that corresponds to the amount you agree
with that statement:
1
Strongly
Disagree

Disagree

Neutral

Agree

5
Strongly Agree

1. A person with a loved one who has a mental illness should keep it to him/herself and not share
it with others.
2. Companies should have policies to help employees who have mental illnesses.
3. A person with a loved one who has a mental illness should not feel obligated to support
him/her financially.
4. If a customer seems to be paranoid while waiting in line, an employee should assume that this
person may be dangerous and get a managers help to ensure safety.
5. A person with a loved one who has a mental illness should be involved with an organization
that supports that illness.

ATTITUDES TOWARDS MENTAL ILLNESS

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6. A person who cannot work because of mental illness should be well supported by AISH
(Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped).
7. The media give an accurate picture of people who have mental illnesses.
8. Corporations should not waste their money on educating their employees about mental illness.
9. All violent criminals are mentally ill.
10. People always know when someone has a mental illness.
11. It is justified to spend our tax dollars on helping people who have mental illnesses.
12. A person who has a neighbor with a mental illness should treat him/her with kindness.
13. If a customer has a visible mental illness and is difficult to give service to, an employee
should be able to opt out from serving this person.
14. A corporation should not feel obligated to support organizations that work towards helping
people who have mental illnesses.
15. A person with a loved one who has a mental illness should not feel obligated to have his/her
loved one move in with him/her.
16. An employee should not patronize a customer who has a mental illness.
17. A person with a loved one who has a mental illness should be willing to take time off work to
take care of him/her.
18. Spending money on treatment for physical illness is more important than spending money on
treatment for mental illness.
19. It would be good if everyone was involved in an organization that helps people who have
mental illnesses.
20. If an employee suspects a co-worker has a mental illness he/she should try to get help for
him/her.