title: Differential stigmatizing attitudes of healthcare professionals towards psychiatry and patients with mental health problems: something to worry about? A pilot study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study compares stigmatizing attitudes of different healthcare professionals towards psychiatry and patients with mental health problems.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Mental Illness Clinicians Attitude (MICA) questionnaire is used to assess stigmatizing attitudes in three groups: general practitioners (GPs, n = 55), mental healthcare professionals (MHCs, n = 67) and forensic psychiatric professionals (FPs, n = 53).
  
  
  RESULTS
  A modest positive attitude towards psychiatry was found in the three groups (n = 176). Significant differences were found on the total MICA-score (p < 0.001). GPs scored significantly higher than the FPs and the latter scored significantly higher than the MHCs on all factors of the MICA. Most stigmatizing attitudes were found on professionals' views of health/social care field and mental illness and disclosure. Personal and work experience did not influence stigmatizing attitudes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although all three groups have a relatively positive attitude using the MICA, there is room for improvement. Bias toward socially acceptable answers cannot be ruled out. Patients' view on stigmatizing attitudes of professionals may be a next step in stigma research in professionals.
authors.affiliation: Lentis Psychiatric Institute, Lentis Research, Hereweg 80, 9725 AG, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Laura M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Gras
authors.forename: Marte
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Swart
authors.forename: Cees J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Slooff
authors.forename: Jaap
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: van Weeghel
authors.forename: Henderikus
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Knegtering
authors.forename: Stynke
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Castelein
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D005260:Female; D005555:Forensic Psychiatry; D058005:General Practitioners / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D008605:Mental Health Services; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D013240:Stereotyping; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires