Stigma Associated with Mental Health among Youth and Implications for School Mental Health Services
A survey conducted by Harris Interactive revealed that youth believe that kids with depression are more likely to be made fun of than those who have asthma, for example. It also showed that children would rather work closely on a school project with an asthmatic student that one who has depression.
The survey was developed to examine youth and adult perceptions of mental illness both in the home and in a school setting. In order to assess stigma levels regarding mental health illnesses in relation to a physical illness, the research included questions pertaining to three diseases – depression, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and asthma. Also, to link the survey to a school situation, the questions were phrased to describe a fictional boy, Michael, who supposedly had one of the three diseases.
The survey uncovered what youth and adults perceive of mental illness, its causes, and the personality characteristics of people who have a mental illness, as well as their general understanding of mental illness and treatment options. For instance, a minority of those surveyed believe students with depression are far more likely to be considered violent than children with asthma. Also, kids with depression and ADHD are seen as more creative than a student who would have asthma.
In addition, youth appear to have an easier time understanding a physical illness, such as asthma, than a mental illness such as depression. However, when asked if they think they have ever had any of these illnesses, more youth report having had depression than asthma or ADHD.
Youth also report higher familial levels of stigma related to depression and ADHD than adults. Specifically, 15% of youth and 10% of adults agree or strongly agree that people in their family think that one should not tell anyone outside the family if they have depression. Moreover, nine percent of youth strongly agree that having occurrences of depression in a home is an indication that parents are not good parents.
Both youth and adults feel that medication is the most effective means to treat asthma and ADHD, but having regular visits with a psychologist is seen as the more effective choice for depression. Adults seek more alternatives to help with depression than do youth. Nevertheless, youth who believe they may have depression would most likely talk to a friend (57%), talk to their parents (49%), or pray (44%). Adults who thought they had depression would most likely talk to a doctor (63%), get information from book or the internet (55%) or pray (54%).
Diminishing Stigma by Improving School Mental Health Services
According to Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) November 2005 School Mental Health Services in the United States, a report based on a national survey of school mental health services in 2002-2003, many children with mental health conditions did not receive any services and 70-80% of those who do, receive services from school-based providers.
Within schools, short-term services were more likely to be provided by schools than long-term services. The most common types of services, reported by more than 80% of schools, included assessment, behavior management consultation, crisis intervention and referrals. More than 70% of schools also reported individual counseling, case management and group counseling as common services provided. Schools reported the most difficult services to deliver were family support services, medication and medication management, substance abuse counseling and referral to specialized programs. The most frequently reported barriers to mental health services were financial constraints of families, such as lack of insurance or inability to pay for services and limited school and community-based resources.
A brief policy analysis conducted on the survey by the National Association of State Directors of Special Education, Inc. (NASDSE) suggests that a family-oriented method of treatment for mental illness may alleviate the frequency and costliness of addressing the most common mental health problems. It also identifies the need for a greater focus on school-wide behavior prevention and social-emotional early intervention programs.
For additional information on NASDSE, please contact:
1800 Diagonal Road, Suite 320
Alexandria, VA 22314
Phone: (703) 519-3800
Fax: (703) 579-3808
To learn more about SAMHSA, please contact:
1 Choke Cherry Road
Rockville, MD 20857
Phone: (240)276-1250
Fax: (240) 276-1260
Sources: Youth and Mental Health Stigma, Trends & Tudes, Volume 5, Issue 8, September 2006, Harris Interactive, and School Mental Health Services in the United States, inForum Brief Policy Analysis, Kim Moherek Sopko, NASDSE, August 2006.