Physician Self-disclosure of Lived Experience Improves Mental Health Attitudes Among Medical Students: A Randomized Study

Introduction: Depression and suicidal ideation are common among medical students, a group at higher risk for suicide completion than their age-normed peers. Medical students have health-seeking behaviors that are not commensurate with their mental health needs, a discrepancy likely related to stigma...

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Main Authors: Andrés Martin, Julie Chilton, Doron Gothelf, Doron Amsalem
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SAGE Publishing 2020-01-01
Series:Journal of Medical Education and Curricular Development
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1177/2382120519889352
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spelling doaj-56e9c4f56a0c41d4b7c479f55f5f810e2020-11-25T02:54:52ZengSAGE PublishingJournal of Medical Education and Curricular Development2382-12052020-01-01710.1177/2382120519889352Physician Self-disclosure of Lived Experience Improves Mental Health Attitudes Among Medical Students: A Randomized StudyAndrés Martin0Julie Chilton1Doron Gothelf2Doron Amsalem3Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Ramat Aviv, IsraelChild Study Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USASheba Medical Center, Ramat-Gan, IsraelSheba Medical Center, Ramat-Gan, IsraelIntroduction: Depression and suicidal ideation are common among medical students, a group at higher risk for suicide completion than their age-normed peers. Medical students have health-seeking behaviors that are not commensurate with their mental health needs, a discrepancy likely related to stigma and to limited role-modeling provided by physicians. Methods: We surveyed second-year medical students using the Attitudes to Psychiatry (ATP-30) and Attitudes to Mental Illness (AMI) instruments. In addition, we asked questions about role-modeling and help-seeking attitudes at baseline. We then conducted a randomized trial of an intervention consisting of 2 components: (a) a panel of 2 physicians with personal histories of mental illness speaking about their diagnosis, treatment, and recovery to the students, immediately followed by (b) small-group facilitated discussions. We repeated the ATP-30 and AMI after the active/early group was exposed to the panel, but before the control/late group was similarly exposed. Results: Forty-three medical students participated (53% women). The majority of students (91%) agreed that knowing physicians further along in their careers who struggled with mental health issues, got treatment, and were now doing well would make them more likely to access care if they needed it. Students in the active group (n = 22) had more favorable attitudes on ATP-30 ( P  = .01) and AMI ( P  = .02) scores, as compared with the control group (n = 21). Conclusion: Medical students can benefit from the availability of, and exposure to physicians with self-disclosed histories of having overcome mental illnesses. Such exposures can favorably improve stigmatized views about psychiatry, or of patients or colleagues affected by psychopathology. This intervention has the potential to enhance medical students’ mental health and their health-seeking behaviors.https://doi.org/10.1177/2382120519889352
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Andrés Martin
Julie Chilton
Doron Gothelf
Doron Amsalem
spellingShingle Andrés Martin
Julie Chilton
Doron Gothelf
Doron Amsalem
Physician Self-disclosure of Lived Experience Improves Mental Health Attitudes Among Medical Students: A Randomized Study
Journal of Medical Education and Curricular Development
author_facet Andrés Martin
Julie Chilton
Doron Gothelf
Doron Amsalem
author_sort Andrés Martin
title Physician Self-disclosure of Lived Experience Improves Mental Health Attitudes Among Medical Students: A Randomized Study
title_short Physician Self-disclosure of Lived Experience Improves Mental Health Attitudes Among Medical Students: A Randomized Study
title_full Physician Self-disclosure of Lived Experience Improves Mental Health Attitudes Among Medical Students: A Randomized Study
title_fullStr Physician Self-disclosure of Lived Experience Improves Mental Health Attitudes Among Medical Students: A Randomized Study
title_full_unstemmed Physician Self-disclosure of Lived Experience Improves Mental Health Attitudes Among Medical Students: A Randomized Study
title_sort physician self-disclosure of lived experience improves mental health attitudes among medical students: a randomized study
publisher SAGE Publishing
series Journal of Medical Education and Curricular Development
issn 2382-1205
publishDate 2020-01-01
description Introduction: Depression and suicidal ideation are common among medical students, a group at higher risk for suicide completion than their age-normed peers. Medical students have health-seeking behaviors that are not commensurate with their mental health needs, a discrepancy likely related to stigma and to limited role-modeling provided by physicians. Methods: We surveyed second-year medical students using the Attitudes to Psychiatry (ATP-30) and Attitudes to Mental Illness (AMI) instruments. In addition, we asked questions about role-modeling and help-seeking attitudes at baseline. We then conducted a randomized trial of an intervention consisting of 2 components: (a) a panel of 2 physicians with personal histories of mental illness speaking about their diagnosis, treatment, and recovery to the students, immediately followed by (b) small-group facilitated discussions. We repeated the ATP-30 and AMI after the active/early group was exposed to the panel, but before the control/late group was similarly exposed. Results: Forty-three medical students participated (53% women). The majority of students (91%) agreed that knowing physicians further along in their careers who struggled with mental health issues, got treatment, and were now doing well would make them more likely to access care if they needed it. Students in the active group (n = 22) had more favorable attitudes on ATP-30 ( P  = .01) and AMI ( P  = .02) scores, as compared with the control group (n = 21). Conclusion: Medical students can benefit from the availability of, and exposure to physicians with self-disclosed histories of having overcome mental illnesses. Such exposures can favorably improve stigmatized views about psychiatry, or of patients or colleagues affected by psychopathology. This intervention has the potential to enhance medical students’ mental health and their health-seeking behaviors.
url https://doi.org/10.1177/2382120519889352
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