Comparing the Effect of Contact-based Education with Acceptance and Commitment Training on Destigmatization Toward Psychiatric Disorders in Nursing Students

Abstract

Background: Despite the importance of stigma in psychiatric disorders and due to the important role of nurses in caring and supporting such illnesses, it is not considered in nursing educations. Objectives: The current study aimed at comparing the effect of Contact-based education and acceptance and commitment-based training on stigma toward psychiatric disorders among nursing students. Methods: It was a clinical study and 111 nursing students of the 4th semester passing mental health training course 1 in Ibne-Sina Psychiatric hospital of Mashhad, Iran, were selected by cluster and quota sampling methods. They were divided into 3 groups of contact-based education (interpersonal contact among individuals with improved mental illnesses), acceptance and commitment-based training and control group. In order to obtain data, The opening mind scales for Health Care Providers was used; and it was completed in 3 levels of pretest, posttest and 1-month follow-up sessions. Data analysis was carried out by repeated measurements of ANOVA. Results: There was no significant difference between the contact-based education and acceptance and commitment-based training groups in reducing the average score of stigma and subscales of social distance and diagnostic overshadowing (P > 0.05). On the other hand, in terms of mean changes, there was no significant difference among the 3 groups in the score of disclosure subscale (P = 0.09). However, contact-based education group demonstrated significant reduction in the mean of recovery and social responsibility subscales, compared to acceptance and commitment-based training group (P < 0.05). Conclusions: Although both contact-based education and acceptance and commitment training methods were effective, the results of subscales were different.