Mental health professionals' attitudes toward patients with PTSD and depression.
BACKGROUND
To date, mental health professionals' attitudes toward posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), compared to other psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia or depression, have rarely been studied.


OBJECTIVE
We assessed mental health professionals' attitudes toward patients with PTSD compared to patients suffering from depression.


METHODS
Case vignettes of a patient with either PTSD or depression were presented to two samples of mental health professionals: attendees of a conference on posttraumatic stress (N=226) or of a lecture for psychiatry residents (N=112). Participants subsequently completed a questionnaire that assessed their attitude reactions to the presented case.


RESULTS
Participants showed similarly positive attitudes toward depression and PTSD. PTSD elicited a more favorable attitude with regard to prosocial reactions, estimated dependency, attributed responsibility, and interest in the case, particularly in mental health professionals specializing in psychotraumatology. Across diagnoses, higher age and longer professional experience were associated with more positive attitudes toward patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Mental health professionals' positive attitudes toward patients with depression and PTSD correlate with their specific knowledge about the disorder, their level of professional training, and their years of professional experience.


CONCLUSIONS
The instruments used, although based on established theoretical concepts in attitude research, were not validated in their present versions.
Psychiatric Services of the Canton St. Gallen-North, Wil, Switzerland; thomas.maier@gd-kpdw.sg.ch.
Thomas
T
Maier
Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
Hanspeter
H
Moergeli
Psychiatric University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilian-University Munich, Munich, Germany.
Michaela
M
Kohler
Private Practice, Locarno, Switzerland.
Giovanni E
GE
Carraro
Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
Ulrich
U
Schnyder
Expert attitudes; PTSD; depression; mental illness; stigma