Social Work Faculty and Mental Illness Stigma

ABSTRACT

Stigma is a significant barrier to recovery and full community inclusion for people with mental illnesses. Social work educators can play critical roles in addressing this stigma, yet little is known about their attitudes. Social work educators were surveyed about their general attitudes about people with mental illnesses, attitudes about practice with people with mental illnesses, and attitudes about students with mental illnesses. On average, educators’ general and practice attitudes were not negative. However, respondents did view a student with a mental illness differently from a “typical social work student.” Findings suggest that we, as social work educators, must raise our awareness and address our own attitudes to support students and uphold our social work values.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Amy C. Watson

Amy C. Watson is at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Anjali Fulambarker is at Simmons College. David C. Kondrat is at Indiana University. Lynn C. Holley and Layne K. Stromwall are at Arizona State University. Derrick Kranke are at Veterans Emergency Management Evaluation Center, North Hills, California. Brittany T. Wilkins is at East Tennessee State University. Shaun M. Eack is at the University of Pittsburgh.

Anjali Fulambarker

Amy C. Watson is at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Anjali Fulambarker is at Simmons College. David C. Kondrat is at Indiana University. Lynn C. Holley and Layne K. Stromwall are at Arizona State University. Derrick Kranke are at Veterans Emergency Management Evaluation Center, North Hills, California. Brittany T. Wilkins is at East Tennessee State University. Shaun M. Eack is at the University of Pittsburgh.

David C. Kondrat

Amy C. Watson is at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Anjali Fulambarker is at Simmons College. David C. Kondrat is at Indiana University. Lynn C. Holley and Layne K. Stromwall are at Arizona State University. Derrick Kranke are at Veterans Emergency Management Evaluation Center, North Hills, California. Brittany T. Wilkins is at East Tennessee State University. Shaun M. Eack is at the University of Pittsburgh.

Lynn C. Holley

Amy C. Watson is at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Anjali Fulambarker is at Simmons College. David C. Kondrat is at Indiana University. Lynn C. Holley and Layne K. Stromwall are at Arizona State University. Derrick Kranke are at Veterans Emergency Management Evaluation Center, North Hills, California. Brittany T. Wilkins is at East Tennessee State University. Shaun M. Eack is at the University of Pittsburgh.

Derrick Kranke

Amy C. Watson is at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Anjali Fulambarker is at Simmons College. David C. Kondrat is at Indiana University. Lynn C. Holley and Layne K. Stromwall are at Arizona State University. Derrick Kranke are at Veterans Emergency Management Evaluation Center, North Hills, California. Brittany T. Wilkins is at East Tennessee State University. Shaun M. Eack is at the University of Pittsburgh.

Brittany T. Wilkins

Amy C. Watson is at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Anjali Fulambarker is at Simmons College. David C. Kondrat is at Indiana University. Lynn C. Holley and Layne K. Stromwall are at Arizona State University. Derrick Kranke are at Veterans Emergency Management Evaluation Center, North Hills, California. Brittany T. Wilkins is at East Tennessee State University. Shaun M. Eack is at the University of Pittsburgh.

Layne K. Stromwall

Amy C. Watson is at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Anjali Fulambarker is at Simmons College. David C. Kondrat is at Indiana University. Lynn C. Holley and Layne K. Stromwall are at Arizona State University. Derrick Kranke are at Veterans Emergency Management Evaluation Center, North Hills, California. Brittany T. Wilkins is at East Tennessee State University. Shaun M. Eack is at the University of Pittsburgh.

Shaun M. Eack

Amy C. Watson is at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Anjali Fulambarker is at Simmons College. David C. Kondrat is at Indiana University. Lynn C. Holley and Layne K. Stromwall are at Arizona State University. Derrick Kranke are at Veterans Emergency Management Evaluation Center, North Hills, California. Brittany T. Wilkins is at East Tennessee State University. Shaun M. Eack is at the University of Pittsburgh.