W&M ScholarWorks Undergraduate Honors Theses Theses, Dissertations, & Master Projects 5-2009 Attitudes Toward Mental Disorders Meghan Marie Posey College of William and Mary Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.wm.edu/honorstheses Part of the Psychology Commons Recommended Citation Posey, Meghan Marie, "Attitudes Toward Mental Disorders" (2009). Undergraduate Honors Theses. Paper 272. https://scholarworks.wm.edu/honorstheses/272 This Honors Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Theses, Dissertations, & Master Projects at W&M ScholarWorks. It has been accepted for inclusion in Undergraduate Honors Theses by an authorized administrator of W&M ScholarWorks. For more information, please contact
[email protected]. Attitudes Toward 1 Attitudes Toward Mental Disorders A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of Bachelors of Art in the Department of Psychology from The College of William and Mary by Meghan Marie Posey Accepted for __________________________________ (Honors, High Honors, Highest Honors) ________________________________________ Glenn D. Shean, Ph.D. , Director ________________________________________ Paul D. Kieffaber, Ph.D. ________________________________________ Thomas J. Linneman, Ph.D. Williamsburg, VA April 29, 2009 Attitudes Toward 2 Abstract Mental disorders are often associated with social stigmas and lead to discrimination. The aim of the current study is to collect information to minimize stigma toward mental illnesses. There were 114 participants in study one (76% females), all of whom were introductory psychology students. Participants watched interviews of individuals with mental disorders, and then rated them on the Social Distance Scale, Social Attribution Scale, and Attitudes and Social Willingness Scale. Participants with firsthand experience of mental illnesses rated individuals with more acceptance than their counterparts.