Comparing attitudes towards depressed persons in helping and non-helping professions

Cilj ovog istraživanja bio je ispitati odnos odabrane profesije i stavova prema depresivnim osobama, kao i efekt osobnog iskustva s depresijom, količine kontakta s depresivnim osobama u privatnom životu, broja kolegija na studiju koji obrađuju temu depresije i tretmana depresije, postojanja kontakta i prakse s depresivnim osobama u sklopu studija te samostalne edukacije o depresiji van obaveza studija na stavove pojedinaca prema depresivnim osobama. Istraživanje je provedeno na 308 studenata medicine, sestrinstva, psihologije, socijalnog rada, učiteljskog fakulteta, socijalne pedagogije te logopedije. Primijenjeni su upitnik Stigme prema depresivnim osobama (Griffiths, 2004) i Stigme prema vlastitoj depresiji (Barney i sur., 2010). Rezultati ukazuju na značajne razlike u osobnoj i stigmi prema vlastitoj depresiji unutar pomagačkih struka, dok razlika s nepomagačkim strukama nije pronađena. Nadalje, pronađen je značajan efekt osobnog kontakta se depresivnim osobama, osobnog iskustva s depresijom i količine edukacije o depresiji na stupanj stigme prema depresivnim osobama i vlastitoj depresiji.The aim of current research was to examine the relation between certain professions and attitude towards depressive patients. Furthermore, the effect personal experience with depression, previous contact with depressive individuals, the amount of education on depression and depression treatment one has had and practical experience with depressive patients has on ones attitudes towards depressive patients. The research was conducted on 308 students of medicine, nursing, psychology, social work, speech pathology, social pedagogy and faculty of education. Depression stigma scale (Griffiths, 2004) and Self-stigma depression scale (Barney et al. 2010) was used for the purpose of this research. The research results suggest a significant difference in personal and self-stigma between medical (doctors and nurses) and non-medical students (psychologists, social workers, social educationalist and teachers). Furthermore, a significant effect of contact with depressive individuals, personal experience with depression and the amount of education on depression on stigma towards depressive individuals and self-stigma was found