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Attitudes toward people with mental disorders in Bulgaria

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  • Veronika Simeonova Dimitrova
  • Boyan Zahariev
  • Maria Martinova

Abstract

Public attitudes toward people with mental disorders determine their life chances and potential integration in society. In this article, we present results from a large representative study that aims to understand whether and how Bulgarian society stigmatizes people with mental disorder, and how demographic characteristics relate to certain types of attitudes. The CAMI III instrument was the basis for the specific research design. The article presents two types of analysis of the data. Firstly, Factor analysis revealed three factors which partially coincide with original categories of the CAMI III Scale – Factor 1 ‘Authoritarianism and Social Restrictiveness’, Factor 2 ‘Benevolence and Community Mental Health Ideology’, and Factor 3 ‘Liberalism’. Secondly, a one-way ANOVA test was carried out, taking the assigned factor scores as dependent variable, on one hand, and demographic and social-economic characteristics as independent variables, on the other. Results reveal that people between 18–24 and over 75 years old are the most authoritarian and socially restrictive, while those between 24–75 years old are the most benevolent. Our analysis show an influence of religion and ethnicity on authoritarianism and social restrictiveness, but on benevolence as well. Education, occupation, and profession is related to the scores of the factors. The results correspond to findings from studies form other contexts but reveal underrepresented aspects such as 1. socio-economic characteristics – ethnicity and religion; 2. the socializing role of the institutions in the formation of the image of the mentally ill among different age groups.

Suggested Citation

  • Veronika Simeonova Dimitrova & Boyan Zahariev & Maria Martinova, 2023. "Attitudes toward people with mental disorders in Bulgaria," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 69(3), pages 613-625, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:socpsy:v:69:y:2023:i:3:p:613-625
    DOI: 10.1177/00207640221127905
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    1. Robert Sévigny & Yang Wenying & Zhang Peiyan & Jacques D. Marleau & Yang Zhouyun & Su Lin & Li GuowangUOWAN & Xu Dong & Wang Yanling & Wang Haijun, 1999. "Attitudes Toward the Mentally Ill in a Sample of Professionals Working in a Psychiatric Hospital in Beijing (China)," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 45(1), pages 41-55, March.
    2. Link, B.G. & Phelan, J.C. & Bresnahan, M. & Stueve, A. & Pescosolido, B.A., 1999. "Public conceptions of mental illness: Labels, causes, dangerousness, and social distance," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 89(9), pages 1328-1333.
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