[Volunteering in psychiatry: determining factors of attitude and actual commitment].
OBJECTIVE
To assess public attitude, actual working commitment and the respective influence of demographic, psychological and sociological variables on voluntary help in psychiatry.


METHODS
Multiple logistic regression analysis of the results of a representative population survey in Switzerland.


RESULTS
Public attitude is mostly positive, but the respective working commitment is small. Attitude depends on gender, psychological factors (social distance, stereotypes), and on attitude to community psychiatry. For the working commitment, clearly distinct predictors are found: age, emotions, participation, and perceived discrimination to the mentally ill. For both attitude and commitment, having a social profession and interest in mass media are predictors.


CONCLUSIONS
Internationally compared, Switzerland has a positive attitude and a big commitment in lay helping in psychiatry. But attitude is different from actual commitment. Lay helpers' work must be limited to realizable tasks and they need professional recruitment, instruction, and supervision otherwise they tend to be over-burden. The unused potential of voluntary helpers has to be opened specifically, e.g. by involving mass media and opinion-makers.
Lauber
C
C
Psychiatrische Universitätsklinik Zürich, Schweiz.
Nordt
C
C
Falcato
L
L
Rössler
W
W
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003156:Community Mental Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D012494:Sampling Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013557:Switzerland; D014838:Volunteers / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000078329:Workforce