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A study of psychiatrists’ concepts of mental illness

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Harland, Robert T., Antonova, E. (Elena), Owen, Gareth S., Broome, Matthew R., Landau, Sabine, Deeley, Quinton and Murray, Robin, MD, M Phil, MRCP, MRC Psych. (2009) A study of psychiatrists’ concepts of mental illness. Psychological Medicine, Vol.39 (No.6). pp. 967-976. ISSN 0033-2917

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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0033291708004881

Abstract

Background: There are multiple models of mental illness that inform professional and lay understanding. Few studies have formally investigated psychiatrists' attitudes. We aimed to measure how a group of trainee psychiatrists understand familiar mental illnesses in terms of propositions drawn from different models. Method: We used a questionnaire study of a sample of trainees from South London and Maudsley National Health Service (NHS) Foundation Trust designed to assess attitudes across eight models of mental illness (e.g. biological, psychodynamic) and four psychiatric disorders. Methods for analysing repeated measures and a principal components analysis (PCA) were used. Results: No one model was endorsed by all respondents. Model endorsement varied with disorder. Attitudes to schizophrenia were expressed with the greatest conviction across models. Overall, the ‘biological’ model was the most strongly endorsed. The first three components of the PCA (interpreted as dimensions around which psychiatrists, as a group, understand mental illness) accounted for 56% of the variance. Each main component was classified in terms of its distinctive combination of statements from different models: PC1 33% biological versus non-biological; PC2 12% ‘eclectic’ (combining biological, behavioural, cognitive and spiritual models); and PC3 10% psychodynamic versus sociological. Conclusions: Trainee psychiatrists are most committed to the biological model for schizophrenia, but in general are not exclusively committed to any one model. As a group, they organize their attitudes towards mental illness in terms of a biological/non-biological contrast, an ‘eclectic’ view and a psychodynamic/sociological contrast. Better understanding of how professional group membership influences attitudes may facilitate better multidisciplinary working.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Subjects:	B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology
Divisions:	Faculty of Medicine > Warwick Medical School > Mental Health and Wellbeing Faculty of Medicine > Warwick Medical School
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH):	Psychiatrists -- Attitudes, Mental health personnel -- Great Britain, Mental illness -- Public opinion -- Great Britain, Questionnaires -- Great Britain
Journal or Publication Title:	Psychological Medicine
Publisher:	Cambridge University Press
ISSN:	0033-2917
Date:	June 2009
Volume:	Vol.39
Number:	No.6
Page Range:	pp. 967-976
Identification Number:	10.1017/S0033291708004881
Status:	Peer Reviewed
Publication Status:	Published
Access rights to Published version:	Restricted or Subscription Access
Funder:	Institute of Social Psychiatry (ISP)
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URI:	http://wrap.warwick.ac.uk/id/eprint/3016