title: Beliefs and Prejudices Versus Knowledge and Awareness: How to Cope Stigma Against Mental Illness. A College Staff E-survey.
abstract: The aims of this study were to collect information about attitudes toward mental illness from the staff of Brescia University, and to detect predictors of issues regarding mental disorders and evaluate their relationship with public stigma. The study involved 1079 people and each participant received a letter explaining the purpose of the e-research. Four hundred and eighty-six people completed the questionnaires. The results showed that those who had a higher level of education, a personal life experience with mental disorders and a higher professional role were more likely to develop behaviours of acceptance toward the mentally ill. Factor analysis of the CAMI showed three main factors: Social distance and isolation, Social integration, Social responsibility and tolerance. Through the structural equation model it was found that the latent construct stigma was mainly defined by the first factor. From this study it emerged that education and personal contact were protective factors against public stigma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, Viale Europa 11, 25123, Brescia, Italy. chiara.buizza@unibs.it.
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-3339-3539
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Buizza
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, Viale Europa 11, 25123, Brescia, Italy.
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ghilardi
authors.affiliation: Statistics Unit, IRCCS "St. John of God" Fatebenefratelli, Via Pilastroni 4, 25125, Brescia, Italy.
authors.forename: Clarissa
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ferrari
mesh_terms: D001294:Attitude to Health; D005178:Faculty / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011287:Prejudice / Q000523:psychology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D057545:Social Stigma; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014495:Universities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
keywords: Attitudes; College staff; Discrimination; Mental disorder; Public stigma