Stereotypes and Perceptions of the Mentally Ill
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The Honors project is potentially the most valuable component of an Honors education. Typically Honors students choose to do their projects in their area of study, but some will pick a topic of interest unrelated to their major.
The Honors Program requires that the project be presented at a poster presentation event. Poster presentations are held each semester. Most students present during their senior year, but may do so earlier if their honors project has been completed.
This site presents project descriptions and selected posters for Honors projects completed since the Fall 2015 semester.
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Abstract
Mental health is a prevalent issue that affects approximately one in five college students each year. The negative stereotypes and perceptions that society holds of the mentally ill are damaging and even prevent some individuals from seeking help. This study explored the factors that influence a person’s beliefs about the mentally ill. Seventy-seven participants completed a Qualtrics survey to test the various hypotheses. Results from the study generally suggest that individuals who had personal experiences with mental health conditions, knew someone who had a mental health condition, or had taken a class about mental illness had more favorable beliefs about individuals living with mental health conditions. Individuals who obtained most of their knowledge about mental health conditions from movies and the news had the most negative views of individuals living with mental health conditions.