Skip to main content

Attitude of an Egyptian Sample of Medical Students Toward Psychiatry in Comparison to Previous Studies Using the Attitudes Towards Psychiatry (ATP-30) Questionnaire

Academic Psychiatry volume 40, pages 213–217 (2016)Cite this article

Abstract

Objective

This study aims to determine the attitude of medical students toward psychiatry at the College of Medicine, Menoufia University, Egypt, and to compare it with previous similar studies in other countries.

Methods

Four hundred medical students, randomly selected from four different years, completed the Attitudes Towards Psychiatry (ATP-30) in a cross-sectional study.

Results

The mean ATP score was 99.31; 76.3 % of the students had favorable attitudes toward psychiatry and 29.5 % considered psychiatry as a potential career choice.

Conclusions

A generally positive attitude toward psychiatry was found among medical students in Menoufia University. Consistent with this positive attitude was the relatively high percentage of students who considered psychiatry as a potential career.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

Access options

Buy single article

Instant access to the full article PDF.

43,34 €

Price includes VAT (Finland)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Fig. 1

References

  1. Bulbena A, Pailhez G, Coll J, Balon R. Changes in the attitudes towards psychiatry among Spanish medical students during training in psychiatry. Eur J Psychiatry. 2005;19:79–87.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Thornicroft G, Rose D, Mehta N. Discrimination against people with mental illness: what can psychiatrists do? Adv Psychiatr Treat. 2010;16:53–9.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Sartorius N, Gaebe W, Cleveland H, et al. WPA guidance on how to combat stigmatization of psychiatry and psychiatrists. World Psychiatry. 2010;9:131–44.

    PubMed Central  Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Burra P, Kalin P, Leichner P, et al. The ATP-30: a scale for measuring medical students’ attitudes to psychiatry. Med Educ. 1982;16:31–8.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Kuhnigk O, Strebel B, Schilauske J, Jueptner M. Attitudes of medical students towards psychiatry. Effects of training, courses in psychiatry, psychiatric experience and gender. Adv Health Sci Educ. 2007;12:87–101.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Mansouri AM. [Psychometric properties of the Arabic version of the attitude toward psychiatry scale]. Al-Mukhtar J Humanit, 2008(4). Available at: (http://omu.edu.ly/en_mg/?page_id=45) (in Arabic).

  7. Lyons Z. Attitudes of medical students toward psychiatry and psychiatry as a career: a systematic review. Acad Psychiatry. 2013;37:150–7. Abstract.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Amer D, ElShami M. The attitude of first and sixth year medical students in Cairo University towards psychiatry. Arab J Psychiatry. 2011;22(2):156–63.

    Google Scholar 

  9. Al-Ansari A, Al-Sadadi A. Attitude of Arabian Gulf University medical students towards psychiatry. Educ Health. 2002;15:180–8.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Ndetei D, Khasakhala L, Ongecha-Owuor F, et al. Attitudes toward psychiatry: a survey of medical students at the University of Nairobi, Kenya. Acad Psychiatry. 2008;32:154–9.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Wakil MA, Abdul IW, Abdulmalik JO, Salawu FK, Ahidjo A. The attitude and future career interest in psychiatry of medical students from the University of Maiduguri, North-eastern Nigeria. BOMJ, 2010;7. Available at http://bornomedicaljournal.com/current/.

  12. Haryan P, Johm T, Tharyan A, Braganza D. Attitudes of ‘tomorrow’s doctors’ towards psychiatry and mental illness. Natl Med J India. 2001;14:355–9.

    Google Scholar 

  13. Shajaat AK, Yousafzai AR, Mehir RK, Haq I. Attitude of medical students towards psychiatry in NWFP. J Ayub Med Coll Abbottabad. 2008;20(3):44–6.

    Google Scholar 

  14. Lunn B. Recruitment into psychiatry: an international challenge. Aust N Z J Psychiatry. 2011;45:805–7.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Abramowitz MZ, Bentov-Gofrit D. The attitudes of Israeli medical students toward residency in psychiatry. Acad Psychiatry. 2005;29:92–5.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Andlauer O, Guicherd W, Haffen E, Sechter D, Bonin B, Seed K, et al. Factors influencing French medical students towards a career in psychiatry. Psychiatr Danub. 2012;24(1):185–90.

    Google Scholar 

  17. Maric NP, Stojiljkovic D, Milekic B, Milanov M, Bijelic J, Jasovic-Gasic M. Change of students’ interest in psychiatry over the years at school of medicine, University of Belgrade, Serbia. Isr J Psychiatry Relat Sci. 2011;48(1):42–8.

  18. Holm-Petersen C, Vinge S, Hansen J, Gyrd-Hansen D. The impact of contact with psychiatry on senior medical students’ attitudes toward psychiatry. Acta Psychiatr Scand. 2007;116(4):308–11. Abstract.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Gazdag G, Zsargó E, Vukov P, Ungvari GS, Tolna J. Change of medical student attitudes toward psychiatry: the impact of the psychiatric clerkship. Psychiatr Hung. 2009;24(4):248–54. Abstract.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Xavier M, Almeida J. Impact of clerkship in the attitudes toward psychiatry among Portuguese medical students. BMC Med Educ. 2010;10:56.

    PubMed Central  Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Johnson N, Lyons D. Psychiatrists: an endangered species? A study to observe attitude of fifth year medical students to psychiatry and to compare change in same after a psychiatry posting during medical school. Ir J Psychol Med. 2012;29(2):91–5.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Affiliations

  1. Menoufia University, Shibin El Kom, Egypt

    Amr Said Shalaby

Authors
  1. Amr Said Shalaby
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Amr Said Shalaby.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Shalaby, A.S. Attitude of an Egyptian Sample of Medical Students Toward Psychiatry in Comparison to Previous Studies Using the Attitudes Towards Psychiatry (ATP-30) Questionnaire. Acad Psychiatry 40, 213–217 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40596-015-0295-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40596-015-0295-z

Keywords

  • Attitudes
  • Medical students
  • Psychiatry