The Impact of Mental Health Nursing Module, Clinical Practice and an Anti-Stigma Program on Nursing Students' Attitudes toward Mental Illness: A Quasi-Experimental Study

Abstract

Background: It is important to support nursing students during their education in developing positive attitudes toward people with mental illness.

Objectives: To examine the impact of mental health nursing module, clinical practice, and anti-stigma program on the attitudes of nursing students toward mental illness.

Design: The study was a single group pretest and posttest quasi-experimental design.

Settings: This study was conducted in a nursing school in the west of Turkey.

Participants: The sample of the study consisted of 64 undergraduate nursing students.

Methods: The data were collected through the Beliefs Toward Mental Illness Scale and Social Distance Scale.

Results: The mean scores of the dangerousness subscale significantly decreased after mental health nursing module, clinical practice and anti-stigma program. The results revealed significant positive differences in the mean scores of the social distance scale after the theory, clinical practice, and anti-stigma program were completed.

Conclusions: The mental health nursing curriculum should be focused on replacing stereotypes with accurate information. Anti-stigma programs should be included in standard mental health nursing courses.

Keywords: Anti-stigma program; Beliefs about mental illness; Mental health nursing course; Nursing students; Social distance.