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Thesis
EFFECT OF MENTAL HEALTH DIAGNOSIS AND ETIOLOGY ON MATEABILITY FOR MALE AND FEMALE COLLEGE STUDENTS
University of West Florida
Master of Arts (MA), University of West Florida
2010
Abstract
Stigmatization of individuals with mental illness is prevalent and may be exacerbated or diminished by factors such as the perceived causality of the illness and the specific diagnosis. This study investigated whether an individual's specific mental health diagnosis and the etiology of the disorder affected college students' (N = 415) desires to date/mate/have children with this individual and whether or not there was a gender difference in the effect. It was hypothesized that respondents who perceived a genetic causality to the diagnosis would be less likely to become romantically involved with an individual. A vignette was used describing a person with either major depressive disorder or alcohol dependence, with cause of the mental illness attributed to either genetic or environmental factors. Results indicated no main effect for diagnosis, etiology, or gender, but did yield a significant three-way interaction effect for male respondents. Male respondents reported a lower mate-ability rating with the vignette character who had a diagnosis of depression related to genetic factors and a lower mateability rating with the vignette character diagnosed with alcohol dependence attributed to environmental factors.
Details
- Title
- EFFECT OF MENTAL HEALTH DIAGNOSIS AND ETIOLOGY ON MATEABILITY FOR MALE AND FEMALE COLLEGE STUDENTS
- Resource Type
- Thesis
- Publisher
- University of West Florida
- Format
- text
- Copyright
- http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC-EDU/1.0/
- Identifiers
- 99380090736606600
- Academic Unit
- Psychology
- Language
- English
- Awarding Institution
- University of West Florida; Master of Arts (MA)
- Theses and Dissertations
- Master of Arts (MA), University of West Florida