What Factors Impact On Stigma That People With Schizophrenia Experience? (Essay Sample)

What Factors Impact on The Stigma That People With Schizophrenia Experience?
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Introduction
The main research question is determining the factors that influence stigma that people with schizophrenia experience. In order to be in a position to answer this question adequately it is important to understand what Schizophrenia is. Schizophrenia is descried as a mental disorder that affects the behavior, emotions and thinking of an individual. Schizophrenia could be positive or negative. While positive Schizophrenia is seen as people losing their sense of reality such as being hallucinated, negative schizophrenia can be simply defined as slight interruptions in a person’s normal behavior. The importance of this research is that there exist people with this particular disorder and it is important to know how to treat them. The research also helps people to determine the differences of this condition and other mental illnesses.
Locating the current project- literature review
A study carried out by Penn, Kohlmaier, and Corrigan, (2000) revealed that the stigma of Schizophrenia could be identified through investigating the interpersonal factors. The factors are inclusive of physical attractiveness, social skills, and the possible symptoms. The findings revealed that the ratings of social skills of people with Schizophrenia are not of so much difference from those of people without the disorder. Eack, and Newhill, (2008) conducted a study to find out the relationship that exists between students studying social work and individuals with Schizophrenia. In this study, it was found that the students had proper knowledge of individuals with the disorder and thus their attitude toward them was dictated by the existent interactions with such people.
Schumacher, Corrigan, and Dejong, (2003) carried out a study to explain the symptoms or indicators of mental illness stigma. Mental illness may be thought to have similar symptoms to Schizophrenia because it is involved with behavior being peculiar, negativity in social skills and physical attractiveness. However, the difference can be seen clearly since the traits of people with mental illnesses are believed to be bizarre. Based on the previous studies, it can be noted that the attitude of people towards individuals with Schizophrenia (positive or negative) and people with mental illness could differ based on the expected outcome from interacting with these categories of people.
Hypotheses
People with negative Schizophrenia are easier to get along and socialize with while it proves more difficult to socialize with individuals with the positive Schizophrenia. Though individuals with Schizophrenia are perceived to have strange behavior, negative schizophrenia may be seen to have some similarities when it comes to studying the traits to come up with the differences between people who do not have the disorder and people who have it. The implication in this case was that negative Schizophrenia would be viewed as more desirable than positive Schizophrenia.
Researchers find that the students and other social workers who have to interact with individuals with Schizophrenia are found to be facing various challenges that may negatively affect their attitude towards them. The negative attitude implies that these people are likely to avoid individuals with Schizophrenia and those with mental illnesses. However, the percentage at which people try to avoid people with these disorders follows a descending order from mental illness to positive Schizophrenia then...