title: Stigma in the context of schools: analysis of the phenomenon of stigma in a population of university students.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Students have stereotyped views about people with mental illness. In particular, they believe that these persons are incurable, dangerous, unpredictable and responsible for their condition. This study aims to investigate the levels of public stigma in an Italian university population.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Attribution Questionnaire 27 - Italian Version (AQ-27-I) was administered to a sample of students from the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery of the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia. After examining the psychometric characteristics of the AQ-27-I (Cronbach's Alpha and Confirmatory Factor Analysis), multiple linear regression analyses were carried out to identify the predictors of stigmatizing attitudes in this population.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Three hundred and eleven students completed the questionnaire, with a response rate of 32.81 % (out of the 948 contacted by email). The AQ-27-I showed good psychometric properties with an α = .68, and the fit indices of the models that partially supported the factor structure and paths. The two variables identified as possible predictors of stigmatizing attitudes (total score of AQ-27-I) were age and time spent reading newspapers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Antistigma campaigns are needed in university contexts, targeted in particular to students in health professions.
authors: Human Resource Development, Local Health Agency of Reggio Emilia, Via Amendola 2, Reggio Emilia, Italy. luca.pingani@unimore.it.|International PhD School in Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via del Pozzo 71, Modena, Italy. luca.pingani@unimore.it.
authors: Luca
authors: L
authors: Pingani
authors: Human Resource Development, Local Health Agency of Reggio Emilia, Via Amendola 2, Reggio Emilia, Italy. sara.catellani@unimore.it.
authors: Sara
authors: S
authors: Catellani
authors: Department of Psychiatry, University of Naples SUN, Largo Madonna delle Grazie, Naples, Italy. valeria.delvecchio78@gmail.com.
authors: Valeria
authors: V
authors: Del Vecchio
authors: Department of Psychiatry, University of Naples SUN, Largo Madonna delle Grazie, Naples, Italy. gaia.sampogna@alice.it.
authors: Gaia
authors: G
authors: Sampogna
authors: Institute of Psychology, Illinois Institute of Technology, 3424 S. State Street, Chicago, USA. sellefso@hawk.iit.edu.
authors: Sarah E
authors: SE
authors: Ellefson
authors: Department of Diagnostic Medicine, Clinical and Public Health, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via del Pozzo 71, Modena, Italy. riga@unimore.it.
authors: Marco
authors: M
authors: Rigatelli
authors: Department of Psychiatry, University of Naples SUN, Largo Madonna delle Grazie, Naples, Italy. anfioril@tin.it.
authors: Andrea
authors: A
authors: Fiorillo
authors: Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, De Crespigny Park, London, SE58AF, UK. sara.evans-lacko@kcl.ac.uk.
authors: Sara
authors: S
authors: Evans-Lacko
authors: Institute of Psychology, Illinois Institute of Technology, 3424 S. State Street, Chicago, USA. corrigan@iit.edu.
authors: Patrick W
authors: PW
authors: Corrigan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001290:Attitude; D003617:Dangerous Behavior; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000523:psychology; D020380:Needs Assessment; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000379:methods; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012938:Social Perception; D057545:Social Stigma; D013240:Stereotyping; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014495:Universities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data