Abstract
The present study describes how adolescents perceive their mood disorders (MD; e.g., acute vs. chronic) and their attitudes toward mental health services. The study also explores the relationships between demographics, clinical characteristics, perceptions of illness and attitudes. Finally, we examine the psychometric properties of the Illness Perception Questionnaire-Revised (Moss-Morris et al. in Psychology & Health 17(1):1–16, 2002). Seventy adolescents were recruited from the greater Cleveland area. Structured interviews were conducted utilizing standardized instruments. Results show that adolescents with MD have fairly positive attitudes, with Caucasian youth reporting more positive attitudes than their non-white ounterparts. Illness perceptions were related to psychological openness and indifference to stigma. Implications are discussed.
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Dr. Munson would like to thank Dr. L. J. Cabassa for reading an early draft of this manuscript.
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Munson, M.R., Floersch, J.E. & Townsend, L. Attitudes Toward Mental Health Services and Illness Perceptions Among Adolescents with Mood Disorders. Child Adolesc Soc Work J 26, 447–466 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10560-009-0174-0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10560-009-0174-0