Student engagement and perceptions of stigmatizing views in a mental health-focused collegiate organization

While often unintentional, stigma associated with mental health remains prevalent among health care professionals and is implicated in treatment disparities between patients with and without mental disorders. Pharmacists and pharmacy students have also been previously described as prone to discomfort interacting with this population. The purpose of this study was to evaluate stigma, student involvement in mental health activities, and student interest in psychiatric pharmacy.

An anonymous, voluntary online survey was open to all student chapters in a mental health-focused professional organization. Sixty-five students from 19 chapters participated in the survey after consent was obtained. Stigma and social distance survey items were adapted from previously validated instruments. Descriptive statistics were used and correlations were investigated using Spearman rank correlation.

Results indicated that students had overall low stigma but more negative views related to disclosure of one's own illness or to more personal interactions. Level of involvement was unrelated to level of stigma, and perceived impact by nonleadership activities was associated with lower stigma (P = .016). Shadowing pharmacists and community service were frequently reported as most influential on student perceptions of mental health (23% and 26%, respectively).

Students involved in a mental health-focused organization had overall positive perceptions toward mental illness. Student engagement in specific opportunities at any level may be more influential than total number of activities participated in. Students have a strong interest in pursuing extracurricular activities in mental health and perceive interactions with patient contact as the most influential on their attitudes.