ELECTROCONVULSIVE-THERAPY - A STUDY OF ATTITUDES AND ATTITUDE-CHANGE AFTER SEEING AN EDUCATIONAL VIDEO

Despite the proven efficacy of Electroconvulsive Therapy [ECT], negati ve attitudes occur in some patients towards its use. However, research into attitudes of patients and public towards ECT, and the influence of the media on these attitudes, is limited and often contradictory. T he aims of this study were: to develop a self-administered questionnai re to assess attitudes; to assess the effect of an educational video o n attitudes; and to assess the effect of the media on attitudes. The q uestionnaire was administered to psychiatric and non-psychiatric patie nts of a Veterans' hospital and to a group of general hospital patient s. A video was shown to a randomly assigned group of the Veteran hospi tal psychiatric patients. Their attitudes were assessed before and aft er the video. An overall positive attitude towards ECT was demonstrate d in all three groups. Showing a video to the Veteran psychiatric pati ents produced an improvement in some attitudes, but no reduction in fe ar. For the psychiatric patients, the effect of the media was negative .