RT Article
T1 Cultural Factors Influencing Mental Health Stigma: Perceptions of Mental Illness (POMI) in Pakistani Emerging Adults
JF Religions
VO 13
IS 5
A1 Ahmad, Salman Shaheen
A1 Koncsol, Stephen W.
LA English
PB MDPI
YR 2022
UL https://www.ixtheo.de/Record/1807454355
AB Pakistan has a fast-growing, young, and highly religious population. Mental health literacy and care in Pakistan do not meet the population’s needs, and mental health stigma (MHS) is cited as the cause. Explanations for MHS across cultures include collectivism, and sociocultural-religious/spiritual beliefs and values surrounding mental illness and those who experience it. MHS interventions and campaigns that aim to improve help-seeking behaviors require insight into the emic perspectives of each target population. Although these perspectives have been elusive for Pakistanis, they are more available today due to growing interest in studying and improving Pakistani mental health. This cross-sectional study of 92 Pakistani emerging adults explored whether collectivism was associated with stigmatizing attitudes toward mental illness. This study also piloted the Perceptions of Mental Illness (POMI) questionnaire, a 44-item true/false survey customized to the Pakistani context, to assess how mental health knowledge, perceptions, exposure, and help-seeking preferences related to stigmatizing attitudes. Results indicated that the POMI provided unique insights into Pakistani beliefs and attitudes that relate to both stigmatizing attitudes and collectivism. With further development, the POMI may be used to guide the design of mental health awareness programs in Pakistan, ultimately helping to reduce MHS and increase help seeking when needed.
K1 Pakistan
K1 Collectivism
K1 Emerging adulthood
K1 exposure
K1 help seeking
K1 mental illness stigma
K1 Religion/spirituality
DO 10.3390/rel13050401