Gender and Culture as Variables Testing Undergraduate Students’ Perceptions of Mental Illness

Abstract

This paper examines undergraduate students’ perceptions of mental illness. 123 participants were asked to read one of six types of vignettes (male with schizophrenia, female with schizophrenia, male with cancer, female with cancer, male with no diagnosis, and female with no diagnosis). Participants were then asked to answer 23 questions regarding opinions of mental illness, created using a combination of the Opinions of Mental Illness questionnaire, the Level of Contact Report, the Scale of Stigma Against Depression, and questions created specifically for this survey. Although results indicate weaker stigma than anticipated, there still exist negative perceptions toward mental illness and therefore the need for further research, increased awareness, and future policies protecting mentally ill individuals is necessary.