Mental illness misconceptions among undergraduates: Prevalence, correlates, and instructional implications.

Abstract

Although several published studies have examined students' misconceptions about psychology in general, only 1 study has focused exclusively on misconceptions about mental illness, and that study examined only 5 such misconceptions. To overcome this gap in our knowledge and to devise effective teaching strategies to disabuse college students of false information, an up-to-date survey of current misconceptions and their correlates among students is necessary. In this study, 375 undergraduates enrolled in introductory psychology courses completed an abnormal psychology misconceptions questionnaire, as well as measures assessing critical thinking, attitudes toward science, beliefs in paranormal phenomena, and vocational interests. Results revealed that certain misconceptions about mental illness and its treatment are widely held, and that compared with other students, students who endorse mental illness misconceptions tend to possess weaker critical thinking skills, are more inclined to accept paranormal claims, and are less likely to endorse scientific and behavioral views of psychology. Given the prevalence of abnormal psychology misconceptions among introductory students, we provisionally recommend assessing mental illness misconceptions early in an introductory course and utilizing empirically supported refutational methods to reduce student levels of mental illness misconceptions.

Psychomythology of Psychopathology: Myths and Mythbusting in Teaching Abnormal Psychology

“…Students may have disregarded these beliefs based on information learned in other psychology courses. Thus, myths held by students entering abnormal psychology may be different from students in introductory psychology courses, as discussed by Basterfield and colleagues (2020). Additionally, students at the onset of class indicated that the most influential sources of information about abnormal psychology came from instructors, internet, and movies.…”

“…Students who created a myth-debunking poster within their course discussion forum demonstrated significantly greater accuracy of psychological knowledge (LaCaille et al, 2019). More recently, researchers constructed a 105-item questionnaire, the Abnormal Psychology Misconception Questionnaire (APMQ) to examine prevalence of mental health myths endorsed by students in introductory psychology courses (Basterfield et al, 2020). The researchers found a range of myth endorsement, from 3% to 96% of participants endorsing myth items across both versions of the APMQ (Basterfield et al, 2020).…”

Myths in psychology: psychological misconceptions among Spanish psychology students

“…The dichotomous response format (true/false) has been, for many years, the chosen by researchers ( Basterfield et al, 2020 ; Brown, 1983 ; Ferrero, Garaizar & Vadillo, 2016 ; Furnham, Callahan & Rawles, 2003 ; Gardner & Dalsing, 1986 ; Hughes, Lyddy & Lambe, 2013 ; Kowalski & Taylor, 2004 ; Lamal, 1995 ; Taylor & Kowalski, 2004 ; Taylor & Kowalski, 2012 ; Torres, Boccacini & Miller, 2006 ; Vaughan, 1977 ). This format is associated with a series of limitations ( Bensley & Lilienfeld, 2017 ; Griggs & Ransdell, 1987 ; Hughes, Lyddy & Lambe, 2013 ).…”

“…Despite the extensive research on myths in Psychology in other countries—see, for example, Russia ( Aleksandrova-Howell et al, 2020 ), North America ( Basterfield et al, 2020 ; Bensley & Lilienfeld, 2017 ; Brown, 1983 ; Gardner & Brown, 2013 ), United Kingdom ( Furnham, Callahan & Rawles, 2003 ; Furnham & Hughes, 2014 ; Furnham & Grover, 2019 ), or India ( Kishore et al, 2011 )—a study of the same characteristics has not yet been carried out in Spain.…”

Acceptance of anomalous research findings: explaining treatment implausibility reduces belief in far-fetched results

“…Unlike specialists, the general public simply may not know whether it is more or less plausible that a particular manipulation or treatment will have an effect. Widespread misconceptions about many psychological topics are well-documented ( Lilienfeld et al, 2011 ), including misconceptions about mental illness and its treatment ( Basterfield et al, 2020 ). Also, research findings that confirm our beliefs may be more readily accepted, while unexpected findings are met with doubt ( e.g.…”