Date of Award
2007
Document Type
Thesis
Publisher
Edith Cowan University
Degree Name
Bachelor of Arts Honours
School
School of Psychology and Social Sciences
Faculty
Faculty of Computing, Health and Science
First Supervisor
Lynne Cohen
Second Supervisor
Dr Julie Ann Pooley
Abstract
The overall aim of the present paper is to review the literature surrounding attitudes towards mental health, with a specific focus on attitudes towards depression and anxiety. This paper discusses the concept of attitudes, their nature and measurement. This is followed by a review of attitudes towards mental health, with a number of studies being examined and their results discussed. Research has found that the general public has negative attitudes towards people with mental illness; however research has also found that these negative attitudes are improving due to an increase in education and awareness surrounding mental health. The two attitude objects of the current paper, depression and anxiety are explored in terms of diagnostic criteria, nature of the disorder, prevalence within society, as well as any attitude literature that focused specifically on these disorders. From a review of the literature it was found that there are limited studies that examine attitudes towards these specific mental health disorders, in particular anxiety. Future research which examines the relationship between attitudes, depression and anxiety is discussed.
Recommended Citation
Hankins, T. (2007). Attitudes towards depression and anxiety. Edith Cowan University. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses_hons/1253