Magnitude and Associated Factors of Perceived Stigma among Adults with Mental Illness in Ethiopia
Table 2
Frequency of negative attitude of participants on the 12-item, 4-level Likert scale of the PDD scale at JUSH, 2012.
No.
The 12 items of perceived devaluation and discrimination (PDD) scale
Negative attitudes
Agree
Disagree
Total No.
Freq
Freq
1
Most people would willingly accept a person who has had mental illness as a close friend.
35
9.1
349
90.9
384
2
Most people believe that a person who has been hospitalized for mental illness is just as intelligent as the average person.
34
8.9
350
91.1
384
3
Most people believe that a person who has had mental illness is just as trust worthy as the average citizen.
65
16.9
319
83.1
384
4
Most people would accept a person who has fully recovered from mental illness as a teacher of young children in a public school.
45
11.7
339
88.3
384
5
Most people believe that entering a mental hospital is a sign of personal failure.
320
83.3
64
16.7
384
6
Most people will not hire a person who has had mental illness to take care of their children, even if he or she had been well for some time.
271
70.6
113
29.4
384
7
Most people think less of a person who has been in a mental hospital for treat.
365
95.0
19
5.0
384
8
Most employers will hire a person who has had mental illness if he or she is qualified for the job.
116
30.0
268
70.0
384
9
Most employers will pass over the application someone who has had mental illness in favor of another applicant.
279
72.7
105
27.3
384
10
Most people in my community would treat someone who has had mental illness just as they would treat any one.
31
8.0
353
92.0
384
11
Most young women would be reluctant to date a man who has been hospitalized for a serious mental illness.
363
94.5
21
5.5
384
12
Once they know a person was in a mental hospital for treatment, most people will take his/her opinions less seriously.
347
90.4
37
9.6
384
The scale was scored by adding scores on each item (after reverse scoring of the six items) and dividing by the number of items (12). Negative attitudes represent the beliefs of the participants that they are devalued and discriminated against by others due to their illness.
