"Awareness of a mental health diagnosis and its correlation with an ind" by Marisa A. Mattei

Date of Award

Spring 2007

Project Type

Thesis

Program or Major

Counseling

Degree Name

Master of Arts

First Advisor

Loan T Phan

Abstract

The need for further investigation into the influence of a mental health diagnosis on a client's self-perception is grounded in ethical, clinical, and financial concerns. This study examines the correlation between self-knowledge of a mental health diagnosis and length of time since being diagnosed, with various aspects of self-concept measured by: the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (SES), the General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSE), and the MacArthur Subjective Status Scale (SSS). The sample in this study, drawn from a northeast land grant university student body, was controlled for the presence of physical health diagnoses and resulted in a total of 70 females (68%), 31 males (30.1%), and two who did not respond (1.9%). Spearman Rho correlation was used to determine the degree of relationship between self-knowledge of a mental health diagnosis and variables of self-esteem, self-efficacy, and subjective social status. In a sample of 103 participants, results of two research questions, (1) presence of a mental health diagnosis and (2) time since being diagnosed with a mental health disorder, indicated no significant relationship with the constructs of self-esteem, self-efficacy and subjective social status.

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