title: Can a seizure help? The public's attitude toward electroconvulsive therapy.
abstract: Despite controversial discussions in the general population, little is known about the public's attitude toward electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). We examined in a representative opinion survey (N=1737) (1) whether the lay public views ECT as an appropriate treatment for schizophrenia and depression, and (2) how demographic, psychological, sociological, and cultural variables influence attitudes. Most respondents (57%) considered ECT as a harmful treatment, and only a small number (1.2%) were in favor of ECT. A large number of respondents did not consider ECT as a treatment. We identified three predictors of negative attitude toward ECT (younger age, cultural area, greater degree of contact with the mentally ill; R2=0.042). The finding was not affected by the type of illness. Thus, having a prejudice toward ECT is a 'uniform attitude' that does not significantly vary between individual, demographic, or cultural contexts.
authors.affiliation: Psychiatric University Hospital, Militärstrasse 8, PO Box 1930, CH-8021 Zurich, Switzerland. christoph.lauber@puk.zh.ch
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lauber
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nordt
authors.forename: Luis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Falcato
authors.forename: Wulf
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Rössler
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001290:Attitude / Q000208:ethnology*; D003469:Culture; D003710:Demography; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000628:therapy*; D004565:Electroconvulsive Therapy / Q000941:ethics* / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011639:Public Opinion; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000628:therapy*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires