Negative attitudes toward patients with mental illnesses are not uncommon among health professionals, and lead to poorer quality and outcomes of care. Because attitudes are formed early in life, the current study aimed to investigate if teaching psychiatry in secondary school nursing students (i.e., adolescents) changes attitudes toward three prevalent psychiatric disorders: schizophrenia, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and depression. A pilot quasi-experimental study was conducted with 51 fourth-year students in secondary nursing school who completed a questionnaire regarding attitudes toward these disorders on the first and last day of their Nursing in Psychiatry course. Results show that the stigma attached to all three disorders was significantly reduced after students completed the course. Students attached greater stigma to schizophrenia than PTSD, and to PTSD than depression, before and after the course. The study indicates that education in psychiatry helps reduce negative attitudes toward PTSD, schizophrenia, and depression. [Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, 56(3), 45-51.].

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Students' attitudes toward depression may influence their recognition of symptoms of depression. Incorporation of these findings in development of undergraduate medical curricula may improve students' recognition of depression.

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IntroductionSingle-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) is a valid method for measuring regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF). Recent studies regarding rCBF in patients with first episode psychosis (FEP) reported heterogeneous results, but were limited with small sample size. Neuroimaging can help us in setting the diagnosis of illness, as well as in following the progress and finding more effective treatment for psychotic disorders.ObjectivesTo compare, baseline alterations of the rCBF using SPECT with psychopathological status in FEP during acute phase.AimsTo investigate the changes of rCBF in patients with FEP during acute phase.MethodsWe conducted a study on 40 drug – naïve patients with FEP at acute phase of illness during their hospitalization at Zagreb University hospital centre. The diagnosis was confirmed using diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, fifth edition. rCBF was measured with SPECT and psychopathological status rated with the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale.ResultsOur findings showed moderate to severe parieto-temporal perfusion deficits, mild to moderate parieto-fronto-temporal perfusion deficits or borderline perfusion deficits in all but one patient.ConclusionOur results showed alteration in rCBF at the beginning of the illness that indicate a biological market of psychotic disorder.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.