Social distance and stigma towards persons with serious mental illness among medical students in five European Central Asia countries

Psychometric validation of the Reported and Intended Behaviour Scale (RIBS) in Hungary with a particular focus on 'Don't know' responses and further scoring recommendations

AIMS

Reported and Intended Behaviour Scale (RIBS) was designed to measure mental health stigma-related behaviors in the general public. We aimed to examine its psychometric properties and validate the scale in a Hungarian non-clinical community sample. The secondary aim of this study was to assess the appropriateness of the current scoring recommendations of 'Don't know' responses being coded as neutral, which had never been investigated before. In addition, we provide an overview of the results of already existing studies on the scale.

METHODS

Hungarian participants completed the RIBS within this cross-sectional online survey study and were considered non-clinical individuals based on a cut-off point of the Global Severity Index T score of 63 on the Symptom Checklist-90-Revised. Confirmatory factor analysis, reliability measures, and comparative analyses were performed.

RESULTS

Of the n = 5,701, n = 5,141 participants were included in the analysis. The mean age was 27.8 ± 11.1 years, and 89.2% (n = 4,587) of the sample were female. The unidimensional structure was supported by good model fit indices (RMSEA = 0.031, CFI = 0.999, TLI = 0.996, and WRMR = 0.006). Internal consistency of the RIBS and its test-retest reliability with a 5-month follow-up period were found to be good (Cronbach's alpha = 0.88 and ICC = 0.838). We found statistically significant differences between the total scores when the 'Don't know' responders were excluded from the sample or when they were coded as neutral as recommended by the scale authors (16 (IQR:13-18) vs. 15 (IQR:13-18) p < 0.0001). There were also statistically significant differences between 'Neither agree nor disagree' and 'Don't know' participants in several aspects of lived experiences of mental health problems.

CONCLUSIONS

The RIBS demonstrated good psychometric properties and can be transferred to the Hungarian context. It will be a valuable tool in assessing stigmatizing behavior and testing the efficacy of antistigma programs. Our results suggest that 'Neither agree nor disagree' and 'Don't know' responses bear different meanings, and coding should account for this.

'He was a brilliant student but became mad like his grandfather': an exploratory investigation on the social perception and stigma against individuals living with mental health problems in Bangladesh

BACKGROUND

Worldwide, mental health issues constitute a substantial threat to people's social, economic, and mental well-being and contribute significantly to many fatalities each year. In Bangladesh, people with mental health issues typically delay contacting health professionals because they prefer traditional or religious healers. Moreover, the situation is exacerbated by a lack of awareness, social stigma, and negative perception of sufferers of mental health issues on the part of families and the community. Therefore, this paper investigates the social perception and stigmatization of individuals living with mental health problems and their caregivers in Khulna, Bangladesh.

METHODS

Data were collected from university students with concurring mental health issues as well as their closest caregivers, who had in-depth knowledge of the problem and a willingness to take care of the individuals with mental health issues. Following the criteria for data collection, eight individuals living with mental health problems and five caregivers were purposively selected for this research. A semi-structured in-depth interview guide was used for the confidential data collection process, which took place in November and December 2021, and each interview lasted 40-50 min on average.

RESULTS

This study used thematic analysis to present the results; the findings showed that: individuals afflicted with mental health problems sought both medical and spiritual support to recover. Those with mental health issues who received positive family support recovered relatively faster than those who did not. However, negative social perception and stigmatization were the key impediments for individuals suffering from mental health problems and their families, as they found it difficult to discuss their issues with relatives and communities when attempting to access support or seek remedies. Moreover, the commonality of social stigmas, such as labeling mental health problems as equal to 'madness,' hindered disclosure to family members, peers, and the community.

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

In Bangladesh, the majority of individuals living with mental health problems are stigmatized and do not receive emotional support. Hence, we suggest nationwide community-based awareness-building programs to promote more positive perceptions of the fight against mental health disorders. Furthermore, counseling and awareness-building programs for effective discouragement of non-scientific remedies such as spiritual healing, as well as diagnosis and medication at the primary stage of sickness, are recommended for early detection and better medical assistance.