ORCA | General Poster Session
Why Treat Sadness? Stigma and Depression Severity Effects on Treatment Preferences
Academic Level at Time of Presentation
Senior
Major
Psychology
Minor
Music
List all Project Mentors & Advisor(s)
Michael Bordieri, PhD.
Presentation Format
Poster Presentation
Abstract/Description
Many studies have shown that psychotherapy is as effective as antidepressant medication treatments for depression. Dwight-Johnson, Sherbourne, Liao, and Wells (2000) found that people who had more knowledge regarding antidepressants preferred psychotherapy. Dwight-Johnson et al. (2000) also found that the patients who preferred counseling were less concerned with the stigma behind depression. In addition, the effectiveness of different treatments depends on if the treatment the patient receives is what they prefer (Mergl et al. 2010). This study aimed to see what the treatment preferences for college students are, their level of perceived stigma, and whether treatment preferences change when participants are given information on medication, psychotherapy and electroconvulsive treatments. Undergraduate participants answers questions about themselves, their mental health, their attitudes toward individuals with depressions, and their treatment preference before reading treatment information from the National Institutes of Mental Health (NIMH) and provide their treatment preference again. Data collection is still in progress with data from 85 participants already obtained. Results will be discussed in terms of factors that influence how people make decisions about treatments for depression.
Affiliations
Sigma Xi Poster Competition--ONLY
Why Treat Sadness? Stigma and Depression Severity Effects on Treatment Preferences
Many studies have shown that psychotherapy is as effective as antidepressant medication treatments for depression. Dwight-Johnson, Sherbourne, Liao, and Wells (2000) found that people who had more knowledge regarding antidepressants preferred psychotherapy. Dwight-Johnson et al. (2000) also found that the patients who preferred counseling were less concerned with the stigma behind depression. In addition, the effectiveness of different treatments depends on if the treatment the patient receives is what they prefer (Mergl et al. 2010). This study aimed to see what the treatment preferences for college students are, their level of perceived stigma, and whether treatment preferences change when participants are given information on medication, psychotherapy and electroconvulsive treatments. Undergraduate participants answers questions about themselves, their mental health, their attitudes toward individuals with depressions, and their treatment preference before reading treatment information from the National Institutes of Mental Health (NIMH) and provide their treatment preference again. Data collection is still in progress with data from 85 participants already obtained. Results will be discussed in terms of factors that influence how people make decisions about treatments for depression.