Study on the attitude of “Tomorrow’s Doctors” towards mental illness: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

Different studies show different attitudes towards mental illness among medical students. This study was initiated to explore the attitude towards mental illness among medical students in a medical college of Manipur. A cross-sectional selfadministered questionnaire-based study was conducted among medical students in Manipur. Two self rating scales – Social Distance Scale and Dangerousness scale were used to assess attitude towards mental illness. Descriptive statistics and independent sample t-test were applied using SPSS 22 for analysis. The students didn’t keep social distance against the mentally ill, and exposure to psychiatry did not have any effect. However regarding dangerousness scale they had a negative attitude towards mental illness and as overall exposure to psychiatry did not have any effect. Medical students did not keep social distance against the mentally ill, however these students have tendency to feel that mentally ill persons are dangerous.

KEY WORDS: Attitudes; Mental illness; Likert scale; Psychiatry