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Kim and Kim: Public Attitudes toward Mental Illness: Q-Methodological Approach
Original Article

J Korean Acad Psychiatr Ment Health Nurs 2017;26(1):24-35.

Published online: 7 March 2017

DOI: https://doi.org/10.12934/jkpmhn.2017.26.1.24

Public Attitudes toward Mental Illness: Q-Methodological Approach

Ji Hyun Kim1, Boon Han Kim2

1Choonhae College of Health Sciences, Ulsan, Korea

2Department of Nursing, Hanyang University, Seoul, Korea

Corresponding author: Kim, Boon Han Department of Nursing, Hanyang University, 222 Wangsimni-ro, Seongdong-gu, Seoul 04763, Korea. Tel: +82-2-2220-0700, Fax: +82-2-2295-2074, E-mail: bhkim@hanyang.ac.kr

Received 22 August 20163 November 2016       Accepted 16 December 2016

Copyright © 2017 The Korean Academy of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Abstract

Purpose

This study was done to identify public attitudes toward mental illness, and to use Q methodology to build understanding of the differences among these attitude types.

Methods

Q Methodology was used to examine the public's attitude on mental illness. Thirty participants classified 33 selected Q-statements on a seven-point scale to create a normal distribution. The collected data were analyzed by using the PC QUANL program.

Results

Four types of attitudes toward mental illness were identified. Type I was named ‘Pursuing positive attention and patience regarding serious human rights’; type II, ‘Demanding the abolishing of prejudice through various media’, type III, ‘Emphasizing social responsibility at a distance from mental illness’, and type IV, ‘Focusing on reversible treatment of the disease’.

Conclusion

In this study, the general public has presented a nursing intervention strategy that can provide support that allows for a positive recognition of mental disorders in accordance with the characteristics of each type.

Keywords: Mental disorders, Attitude, Perception

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Table 1.
Q-statements on Public Attitudes toward Mental Illness
No. Q-statement
1 I am afraid of getting mental illness.
2 Mental illness is violent and disease to commit a crime.
3 Mental illness with continued interest and support can do usual activities.
4 If left alone, Mental illness would be cured naturally.
5 It is easy to live without knowing about our circumstance like a mental illness.
6 People with mental illness are strange and funny.
7 It is not bothering me to see the mental illness on a street.
8 I am not friendly to mental illness but It doesn't need to show wariness.
9 It is one of the main cause of mental illness to be unable to control themselves with a weak willpower.
10 We have despised the mental illness for too long.
11 We don't have to make the mental illness take a responsibility for work.
12 More budget should be reflected to prevent and control mental illness.
13 We must not to get married with the mental illness.
14 It is a waste of tax money to use a big budget to metal health care service.
15 Now we can consider that our country provides services enough for the mental illness.
16 Everyone can be a mental illness patient.
17 Like other physical illnesses, Mental illness is just a kind of disorder.
18 Patients in a mental hospital are not dangerous mostly.
19 Mental illness is caused by a lack of interest.
20 The mental illness have a right to be respected and happy as a human.
21 With a hope and potential about recovery, the mental illness can live a better life.
22 The mental illness are alienated and discouraged living in world of their own by and large.
23 They give a hard time to their families and people around them mentally, economically.
24 They are irresponsible people who are unable to take their own life.
25 Mental illness is a chronic and incurable disease.
26 It is a disease that families want to hide and feel shameful, guilty.
27 It can take away preconceptions and bias if the mass media demonstrates mental illness positively.
28 It is a disease that sinned in a previous life and passed down from generation.
29 They can work skillfully, even though they have mental illness.
30 The mental illness should live separately from general residents.
31 We need to have more tolerant attitude towards mental illness.
32 It is a outdated method to cure the mental illness in isolation.
33 It is the best way to avoid the patient with mental illness.
Table 2.
Eigenvalues and Variances for Each Type
Variables Type 1 Type 2 Type 3 Type 4
Eigenvalue 14.3463 1.7985 1.6948 1.4388
Variance .4782 .0599 .0565 .0480
Cumulative .4782 .5382 .5947 .6426
Table 3.
Correlations between Types
Variables Type 1 Type 2 Type 3 Type 4
Type 1 1.000      
Type 2 .630 1.000    
Type 3 .391 .409 1.000  
Type 4 .751 .611 .403 1.000
Table 4.
General Characteristics and Factor Weights of Subjects (N=30)
Types No Factor weights Gender Age (year) Mental illness patients in the family
Type 1 (n=11) 01 0.8615 F 55 No
02 2.7832 F 27 No
07 0.5297 M 25 Yes
09 1.7456 M 59 Yes
10 1.0021 F 59 Yes
12 2.1647 M 28 No
14 1.3737 F 43 No
16 0.9315 M 30 No
17 1.7838 M 55 Yes
18 1.0225 M 30 No
21 1.3663 M 35 No
Type 2 (n=6) 05 0.6669 M 36 No
19 0.7205 F 29 No
20 2.5446 M 32 No
22 0.9175 M 28 No
27 0.9173 F 29 No
30 1.2440 F 26 Yes
Type 3 (n=3) 08 2.4244 M 50 Yes
13 0.7166 M 30 No
26 0.5488 F 56 No
Type 4 (n=10) 03 1.3857 M 28 No
04 1.1276 F 33 No
06 0.6099 M 25 Yes
11 1.4418 F 33 Yes
15 0.8363 F 28 No
23 0.3721 M 32 Yes
24 0.9034 F 28 Yes
25 0.9027 M 43 No
28 1.5244 F 29 No
29 0.8775 F 27 No
Table 5.
Descending Array of Z-score (Greater than±1) and Item Description for Each Type
Types No Q statements Z score
Type 1 Persuing positive attention and patience of serious human right 20 The mental illness have a right to be respected and happy as a human. 1.84
16 Everyone can be a mental illness patient. 1.73
31 We need to have more tolerant attitude towards mental illness. 1.22
27 It can take away preconceptions and bias if the mass media demonstrates mental illness positively. 1.21
12 More budget should be reflected to prevent and control mental illness. 1.18
3 Mental illness with continued interest and support can do usual activities. 1.08
15 Now we can consider that our country provides services enough for the mental illness. −1.46
14 It is a waste of tax money to use a big budget to metal health care service. −1.58
33 It is the best way to avoid the patient with mental illness. −1.59
28 It is a disease that sinned in a previous life and passed down from generation. −1.85
4 If left alone, Mental illness would be cured naturally. −2.01
Type 2 Demanding for abolishing prejudice through various media 17 Like other physical illnesses, Mental illness is just a kind of disorder. 2.00
27 It can take away preconceptions and bias if the mass media demonstrates mental illness positively. 1.53
31 We need to have more tolerant attitude towards mental illness. 1.22
32 It is a outdated method to cure the mental illness in isolation. 1.22
3 Mental illness with continued interest and support can do usual activities. 1.08
21 With a hope and potential about recovery, the mental illness can live a better life. 1.06
25 Mental illness is a chronic and incurable disease. −1.01
1 I am afraid of getting mental illness. −1.12
9 It is one of the main cause of mental illness to be unable to control themselves with a weak willpower. −1.19
5 It is easy to live without knowing about our circumstance like a mental illness. −1.59
6 People with mental illness are strange and funny. −1.61
4 If left alone, Mental illness would be cured naturally. −1.71
24 They are irresponsible people who are unable to take their own life. −1.76
Type 3 Emphasizing social responsibility at a distance from mental illness 2 Mental illness is violent and disease to commit a crime. 1.75
12 More budget should be reflected to prevent and control mental illness. 1.37
3 Mental illness with continued interest and support can do usual activities. 1.29
7 It is not bothering me to see the mental illness on a street. 1.26
1 I am afraid of getting mental illness. 1.24
29 They can work skillfully, even though they have mental illness. 1.24
31 We need to have more tolerant attitude towards mental illness. 1.22
11 We don't have to make the mental illness take a responsibility for work. 1.04
6 People with mental illness are strange and funny. −1.40
25 Mental illness is a chronic and incurable disease. −1.65
5 It is easy to live without knowing about our circumstance like a mental illness. −1.99
4 If left alone, Mental illness would be cured naturally. −1.99
Type 4 Focusing on reversible treatment of the disease 20 The mental illness have a right to be respected and happy as a human. 2.05
21 With a hope and potential about recovery, the mental illness can live a better life. 1.69
3 Mental illness with continued interest and support can do usual activities. 1.39
16 Everyone can be a mental illness patient. 1.21
30 The mental illness should live separately from general residents. −1.01
33 It is the best way to avoid the patient with mental illness. −1.08
1 I am afraid of getting mental illness. −1.08
6 People with mental illness are strange and funny. −1.57
28 It is a disease that sinned in a previous life and passed down from generation. −2.10
4 If left alone, Mental illness would be cured naturally. −2.17
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