Evaluating the changes in attitudes towards mental illness and physical disabilities after an anti-stigma course for occupational therapy students

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Abstract
Objective: This study assessed changes in attitudes towards mental illness and physical disabilities in occupational therapy (OT) students after an anti-stigma course (AS group) and compared the changes in attitudes with a control (CT group) attending a sociology course. Methods: A quasi-experimental design was used in this study with 65 OT students across two academic years (AS group: n = 33; CT group: n = 32). Stigmatizing attitudes and social distance towards mental illness and physical disabilities were measured before and after course completion. Results: Compared with the CT group, the AS group showed a significantly greater reduction in social distance towards mental illness ( t = 1.974, p = .027) and decreases in stigmatizing attitudes ( t = 2.087, p = .021) and social distance ( t = 2.512, p = .008) towards physical disabilities. In addition, both groups reported greater social distance towards mental illness than towards physical disabilities in both the pretest and posttest. Conclusions: A multimodal anti-stigma course may decrease social distance towards mental illness as well as stigmatizing attitudes and social distance concerning physical disabilities among OT students. However, further refinement of the anti-stigma course, with a particular emphasis on mental health stigma, is warranted.
Funding Information
  • Ministry of Science and Technology in Taiwan (MOST 105-2511-S-006-007-MY3, MOST 108-2511-H-006-010-MY3)

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