Medical Students' Perception of Psychotherapy and Predictors for Self-Utilization and Prospective Patient Referrals

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Medical Education

Background:

• Stigma surrounding mental health significantly impacts help-seeking behaviors.
• Understanding these barriers is crucial for medical professionals' well-being and patient care.
• Medical students may face unique challenges due to academic pressures and future professional roles.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between perceived stigma (public and self-stigma) and medical students' willingness to seek psychotherapy.
• To examine if these attitudes differ based on specific psychological disorders (panic disorder, depression).
• To assess the influence of stigma on medical students' likelihood to refer patients for therapy.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional survey was administered to medical students at a southeastern university.
• Validated scales measured attitudes towards seeking help and levels of public and self-stigma.
• Vignette-based scenarios assessed willingness to seek therapy and refer patients for panic disorder and depression.

Main Results:

• Increased public stigma correlated with reduced willingness to seek therapy for panic disorder.
• Higher self-stigma was associated with a decreased likelihood of seeking therapy for depression.
• No significant differences were found in the likelihood of referring patients based on stigma or disorder type.

Conclusions:

• Stigma significantly influences medical students' personal decisions to seek mental health treatment, with variations depending on the specific disorder.
• While stigma affects personal help-seeking, it did not appear to impact their willingness to refer patients.
• Interventions addressing stigma among medical students are essential to improve their mental health care utilization.