Stigma: knowledge of college going students about mental illness and reaction towards the persons with mental illness

The community attitude towards the person with mental illness has major influence on the acceptance of the person with mental illness (PWMI) and their social integration. Attitude may be at least partly determined by knowledge about mental illness and reaction towards PWMI. The goal of the study was to assess the knowledge of the college going students about mental illness and reaction towards PWMI. The study sampled 100 students using purposive sampling technique from different under graduate colleges in Kolkata, India. This was a cross-sectional descriptive study. Tools used in the study were (a) Star vignette (updated version) containing factors about the person described, viz. paranoid schizophrenia, and (b) Semi-structured interview schedule. The schedule includes: Demographic characteristics, attribution/ causes of mental illness, reactions towards PWMI, agencies most likely to help PWMI, personal experience, and origin/source of information. Results revealed that students had knowledge in some areas of mental illness, but in some areas they had deficiency. They had shown positive attitude towards PWMI, but the social distances increased with the level of intimacy required in the relationship. Personal experience (or contact) with PWMI had positive impact on knowledge about mental illness and attitude (reactions) towards PWMI.