More than Mental Illness: Experiences of Associating with Stigma of Mental Illness for Chinese College Students

Miao Yu, Shengli Cheng, Kenneth Po-Lun Fung, Josephine Pui-Hing Wong and Cunxian Jia
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Miao Yu: Department of Social Work, School of Philosophy and Social Development, Shandong University, Jinan 250100, China
Shengli Cheng: Department of Social Work, School of Philosophy and Social Development, Shandong University, Jinan 250100, China
Kenneth Po-Lun Fung: Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A1, Canada
Josephine Pui-Hing Wong: Daphne Cockwell School of Nursing, Ryerson University, Toronto, ON M5B 2K3, Canada
Cunxian Jia: Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 2, 1-12

Abstract: From existing empirical research, we identified that Chinese college students commonly experience stigma surrounding mental illness and found some factors that support them in resisting the stigma and achieving psychological health. However, less research provides qualitative data involving individual experiences and insights on mental illness within this group of college students. This study, based on Linking Hearts (an internationally cooperative research-sharing project between China and Canada), was conducted in Shandong, Jinan, and aims to promote the mental health of college students by empowering interdisciplinary professionals and students. Through the research project, this study analyzed the materials from 24 focus groups, explored the understanding of mental illness and prevalence of mental illness stigma in Chinese colleges at the present time, administered a background questionnaire, and provided statistical support for some revealed themes. The final themes are as follows: mental illness is stereotyped as “severe, pathetic, and complicated”; the misconception of “visiting a psychological counselor is scary”; from public stigma to self-stigma; barriers deterring students from seeking help or accessing services; two sides of the same coin: peer support versus peer pressure.

Keywords: mental illness; stigma; Chinese college students; implementation study; focus group (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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