Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40205491›Full record

ArticleBMC psychology2025

Addressing the associative stigma of psychiatry and psychiatrists: a survey on the attitudes of medical and nursing students and doctors in Verona, Italy.

Antonio Lasalvia, Lorenzo Benedetti, Luca Bodini, Francesco Albasini, Cristiano Chiamulera, Paolo Fabene, Carlo Rugiu, Chiara Bonetto

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC psychology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Antonio LasalviaSection of Psychiatry, Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Policlinico "G.B. Rossi", P.le Scuro, 10, Verona, 37134, Italy. antonio.lasalvia@univr.it.
Lorenzo BenedettiSection of Psychiatry, Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Policlinico "G.B. Rossi", P.le Scuro, 10, Verona, 37134, Italy.
Luca BodiniSection of Psychiatry, Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Policlinico "G.B. Rossi", P.le Scuro, 10, Verona, 37134, Italy.
Francesco AlbasiniCentral Institute of Mental Health (CIMH - ZI), Mannheim, Germany.
Cristiano ChiamuleraDepartment of Diagnostics and Public Health, University of Verona, Verona, Italy.
Paolo FabeneDepartment of Engineering and for Innovation Medicine, University of Verona, Verona, Italy.
Carlo RugiuMedical Professional Association (OMCEO) of the Province of Verona, Verona, Italy.
Chiara BonettoSection of Psychiatry, Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Policlinico "G.B. Rossi", P.le Scuro, 10, Verona, 37134, Italy.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundNegative societal attitudes toward mental health often contribute to misconceptions and stereotypes about psychiatry, a phenomenon known as "associative stigma". This stigma can hinder collaboration between psychiatrists and other specialists and deter students from pursuing psychiatry as a career. This study focused on one of the three main components of stigma by examining attitudes toward psychiatry and psychiatrists among medical and nursing students, as well as doctors, and identifying factors that influence these attitudes.

methodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted among medical and nursing students at the University of Verona and doctors affiliated to the Medical Professional Association of Verona. Attitudes toward psychiatry were assessed using the Attitude to Psychiatry Scale. Regression analysis evaluated the relationship between participants' characteristics and their attitudes toward psychiatry and psychiatrists.

resultsA total of 511 medical students, 394 nursing students, and 638 doctors participated in the study. While students had generally positive attitudes towards psychiatry, they perceived it as lacking full respect within medial community (84% medical, 76% nursing), having low prestige (63.5% medical, 65.9% nursing), and receiving insufficient encouragement in university courses (39% medical, 41.7% nursing). Doctors also expressed positive attitudes, though to a lesser extent than students. Their primary concerns related to patient care: 81% reported feeling emotionally drained when treating psychiatric patients, and 58.2% felt that patients were not appreciative of the care received. Female students and doctors, students who had taken psychiatric courses, and doctors in non-surgical specialties exhibited more positive attitudes.

conclusionsThis study revealed generally positive attitudes towards psychiatry, underscoring its relevance as a medical specialty. However, concerns regarding the discipline's perceived status and respect within the medical field highlight areas for targeted interventions to enhance its image and encourage greater interest among students and professionals.

Indexed as

Attitude of Health PersonnelPhysiciansPsychiatrySocial StigmaStudents, MedicalStudents, NursingAdultCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleHumansItalyMalePsychiatristsSurveys and QuestionnairesYoung AdultAttitudesDoctorsMedical studentsNursing studentsPsychiatryStigma

Identifiers

PMID40205491
PMCPMC11983888

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.