Department of Applied Psychology, Canterbury Christ Church University, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN3 0TG, UK.
Psychotherapy (Chic). 2013 Jun;50(2):213-23. doi: 10.1037/a0028784. Epub 2012 Aug 13.
Given the potential value of undergoing psychological therapy when training as a therapist, it is important to understand what influences students' decisions regarding seeking therapy. The study examined the relationship between clinical psychology students' perception of the social stigma attached to receiving therapy and their attitudes toward seeking therapy. Students from Argentina (n = 121), England (n = 211), and the United States (n = 130) completed measures of demographic characteristics, perceived social stigma, attitudes, and other variables associated with therapy-seeking. The results revealed significant cross-national differences, with Argentinean students showing the lowest levels of perceived social stigma for receiving therapy, followed by English and Americans. English students showed relatively less positive attitudes toward seeking therapy than their Argentinean and American counterparts. Social stigma predicted students' attitudes toward seeking therapy among English and American but not Argentinean students. The relationship between perceived social stigma and attitudes was moderated by nationality. Implications for training are discussed, including English and American clinical psychology courses encouraging their students to reflect on the effect of perceived social stigma on their decision-making.
鉴于在接受治疗师培训时接受心理治疗的潜在价值，了解哪些因素会影响学生寻求治疗的决定是很重要的。本研究考察了临床心理学学生对接受治疗所带来的社会污名的看法与他们寻求治疗的态度之间的关系。来自阿根廷（n = 121）、英国（n = 211）和美国（n = 130）的学生完成了人口统计学特征、感知社会污名、态度以及与寻求治疗相关的其他变量的测量。结果显示，存在显著的跨国差异，阿根廷学生对接受治疗的社会污名感知最低，其次是英国和美国学生。与阿根廷和美国学生相比，英国学生对寻求治疗的态度相对不那么积极。社会污名预测了英国和美国学生对寻求治疗的态度，但对阿根廷学生没有影响。感知社会污名和态度之间的关系受到国籍的调节。讨论了培训的意义，包括英国和美国的临床心理学课程鼓励学生反思感知社会污名对他们决策的影响。
