Transition between cultures? Beliefs and attitudes of British and Chinese young adults living in China and the UK towards mental health disorders

Abstract

Students not studying psychology or mental health issues participated in a study in which they identified the characteristics of, and attitudes towards, three widely prevalent mental health problems: anxiety, depression and schizophrenia. Participants were equally divided into indigenous UK (n=106) and Chinese students (n=111) and Chinese students studying in the UK (n=101). Participants completed a questionnaire measuring their beliefs about the symptoms (divided into psychological, physical and Chinese medical), time-course, severity, causes, consequences and perceived personal and treatment control) and their attitudes towards mental health problems (the Opinion about Mental Illness in Chinese Community Scale). Detailed findings are reported for each condition separately. However, general findings were: (1) contrary to our hypotheses, there was no evidence that the Chinese students living in the UK held more western views of the conditions than those living in China, (2) both Chinese appeared to hold a model of mental health incorporating both western and traditional Chinese concepts, the UK students held almost uniquely western models of the disorders, (3) the Chinese participants held more negative views about mental health problems, but also tended to consider them to be more treatable.

Keywords:

• mental health
• models
• Chinese
• British