Nursing students ’ depiction of mental disorder

The Journal of Mental Health Training, Education and Practice,Volume 12, Issue 5, Page 323-330, September 2017. Purpose Fighting the stigma of mental disorder is the core focus of nursing teachers closely working with mental health institutions and patients. The sharing of experiences calls attention to common motivations and concerns leading researchers to explore this universal phenomenon. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the symbolic representation of mental disorder by undergraduate nursing students and to develop an instrument that contributes to reduce stigma. Design/methodology/approach Cross-cultural study, using a quantitative and qualitative analysis and of descriptive and exploratory nature, on the categorization of drawings made by undergraduate nursing students in Brazil and Portugal – to graphically represent mentally ill patients. The research was performed throughout a period of two school years, involving a total of 187 students. All ethical recommendations were considered. Findings Approximately, 50 different symbols were identified and sorted into categories. The most representative ones were “Interrogation” and “The World.” The study makes noteworthy contributions to raise awareness and enhance understanding on how future nursing graduates experience and perceive mental disorder. Originality/value Despite the cultural differences and geographical dista nce of participants, the study revealed similarities on how mental disorder is perc...
Source: The Journal of Mental Health Training, Education and Practice - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Source Type: research