BELIEF SYSTEMS OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC CONCERNING THE APPROPRIATE TREATMENTS FOR MENTAL-DISORDERS

A study was conducted to assess the belief systems of the general publ ic concerning the appropriate treatments for mental disorders and corr elates of these belief systems. The study was based on the results of a household survey of the general public in Australia, using a nationa l random sample of 2,031 adults aged 18-74 years. Respondents were giv en a vignette describing either a person with depression or one with s chizophrenia, and were asked for their opinions about the helpfulness of various professional and non-professional treatments for the person described. a principal components analysis of the helpfulness ratings gave three factors: a Medical factor with high loadings on all drug t reatments (except Vitamins) and on Psychiatric ward and ECT: a Psychol ogical factor with high loadings on Counsellor, Social worker, Phone c ounselling, Psychiatrist, Psychologist, Psychotherapy and Hypnosis; an d a Lifestyle factor with high loadings on Close family, Close friends , Naturopath, Vitamins, Physical activity, and Get out more. The same factors emerged from ratings of the two vignettes. Mean scores on scal es constructed from the items with high loadings showed that the publi c tend to have a negative view of medical treatments and a positive vi ew of psychological and lifestyle ones. However, medical treatments we re rated more negatively for depression than for schizophrenia, psycho logical treatments were rated more positively for schizophrenia, and l ifestyle treatments more positively for depression. Age, sex and educa tion of respondents showed few associations with scores on the scales, although the better educated were more in favour of psychological tre atments for both depression and schizophrenia and were less opposed to medical treatments for schizophrenia. Respondents who had suffered fr om the symptoms described in the schizophrenia vignette were more nega tive towards medical treatments, These findings about public belief sy stems could have implications for the provision of treatment: where th ere is a discrepancy in belief system between the patient and the clin ician there may be poor adherence to treatment.