Aims and MethodOne of the steps to change stigmatised attitudes involves identifying the concerns of people whose attitude is to be changed. This paper presents the Attitudes to Mental Illness Questionnaire (AMIQ), a short instrument aimed at systematically obtaining this information, and examines the feasibility, test–retest reliability as well as face and construct validity of the AMIQ on the UK general public. A postal survey of a random sample of 1079 adults was conducted. A self-reported questionnaire with 5-point Likert scale responses was validated in response to short fictional vignettes. A second subsample of 256 was used for a reliability test.ResultsThe AMIQ is a short instrument with good psychometric properties. It shows good stability, test–retest reliability, alternative test reliability, face, construct and criterion validity. The self-selecting sample of 1079 UK adults showed highly stigmatised attitudes to people with addictive disorders but more positive attitudes to those with depression or self-harm. Results from a smaller follow-up sample showed that attitudes towards people with alcohol dependence and schizophrenia were intermediate.Clinical ImplicationsThe AMIQ can be used in various medical and mental health stigma research and intervention settings.
Aims and MethodTo assess the effect of factsheets from the Royal College of Psychiatrists' Changing Minds campaign on stigmatised attitudes of members of the general public towards those with mental illness. Participants were recruited at random from a panel of over 1200 members of the general population and presented with questionnaires containing single-page factsheets adapted from the Changing Minds campaign describing schizophrenia or substance use disorders. The Attitudes to Mental Illness Questionnaire (AMIQ) was used to measure the effect on stigmatised attitudes.ResultsIn total 200 questionnaires were distributed; 158 completed questionnaires were received (response rate 79%). The AMIQ scores for the alcoholism and schizophrenia vignettes did not differ between experimental and control groups. Fidelity questions included in the questionnaire indicated that participants had read and understood the factsheets.Clinical ImplicationsDidactic factsheets produced for the Changing Minds campaign were largely ineffective at changing stigmatised attitudes towards schizophrenia and alcoholism.
Aims and MethodStigmatised attitudes among the general public towards people with mental illness are one of the main factors delaying such people from seeking treatment, hindering their recovery and rehabilitation. Our aim was to devise a simple motivational interviewing technique to reduce stigmatised attitudes towards people with schizophrenia and substance misuse. We conducted a randomised paired-design trial of 100 adults subjected to a 10 min motivational interview to reduce their stigmatised attitudes; we used the Attitudes to Mental Illness Questionnaire (AMIQ) to measure the effect of the various procedures on stigmatised attitudes.ResultsA small improvement in stigma scores was observed in attitudes towards people with alcoholism but not towards those with schizophrenia.Clinical ImplicationsA brief intervention involving motivational interviewing can be used to challenge the stigma of mental disorders.
Background. There is a clear association between childhood attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and substance use disorders in adulthood. Symptoms of attention deficit disorder may also persist into adulthood. The study aimed to determine the prevalence of childhood ADHD in a sample of treatment seeking opiate-dependent adults. Methods. Treatment-seeking opiate-dependent subjects completed the Utah adult ADHD screening test and the self-report early delinquency scale. Results. A total of 15% were "likely" and 49 were "highly likely" to have suffered ADHD in childhood. The averages scores for the delinquency scales were over 6 times those reported from population norms. Conclusion. Symptoms of childhood ADHD is common in adults with opiate dependence. The residual symptoms in adults should be investigated as may be amenable to newer treatments for adult attention deficit disorder.
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