The Impact of Mental Health Nursing Module, Clinical Practice and an Anti-Stigma Program on Nursing Students' Attitudes toward Mental Illness: A Quasi-Experimental Study.

Abstract

It is important to support nursing students during their education in developing positive attitudes toward people with mental illness. To examine the impact of mental health nursing module, clinical practice, and anti-stigma program on the attitudes of nursing students toward mental illness. The study was a single group pretest and posttest quasi-experimental design. This study was conducted in a nursing school in the west of Turkey. The sample of the study consisted of 64 undergraduate nursing students. The data were collected through the Beliefs Toward Mental Illness Scale and Social Distance Scale. The mean scores of the dangerousness subscale significantly decreased after mental health nursing module, clinical practice and anti-stigma program. The results revealed significant positive differences in the mean scores of the social distance scale after the theory, clinical practice, and anti-stigma program were completed. The mental health nursing curriculum should be focused on replacing stereotypes with accurate information. Anti-stigma programs should be included in standard mental health nursing courses.