Comparison of Stigma according to the Term Used for Schizophrenia : Split-Mind Disorder vs. Attunement Disorder

Abstract

ObjectivesZZInKorea,thetermforschizophreniahasbeenchangedfrom'split-minddisorder'to 'attunementdisorder'.Thisstudycomparedthestigmaof,andprejudiceagainst,peoplewithschi-zophrenia,accordingtouseoftheterm'split-minddisorder'or'attunementdisorder'. MethodsZZWeconductedasurveyof360collegestudentsmajoringinnursingscienceinorder toassesstheirprejudiceregardingthedangerposedbyschizophreniaanddiscriminationre-gardingrelationshipsandprivilegesforpatientswithschizophreniausingthesocialstigmascale andthediscriminationscaleforpatientswithmentalillness,respectively.Studysubjectswereran-domlydividedintotwogroups,andthesamescaleswereassignedtoeachgroupusingdifferent instructions,beginningwitheither'split-minddisorder'or'attunementdisorder'. ResultsZZInmultivariateanalysis,scoresforprejudicewithregardtothedangerposedby,and discriminationagainst,patientswithschizophreniaweresignificantlyhigherinthegroupassigned thetermsplit-minddisorder,comparedwiththetermattunementdisorder.Scoresfordiscriminat-ionwithregardtorelationshipsandprivilegesweresignificantlylowerforsubjectswithexperi-encetocontactthementallyill,comparedtothosewithoutsuchexperience. ConclusionZZOurfindingssuggestthatrenamingsplit-minddisorderasattunementdisordercan resultinreducedprejudiceanddiscriminationagainstpeoplewithschizophrenia.Inadditiontore-namingschizophrenia,implementationofanti-stigmacampaigns,includingcontactwithschizo-phreniapatients,mayhelptoreducediscriminationagainstthem.