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Relationships between intergroup contact and student nurses' stigma toward people living with mental illness at a mental health clinical placement: A prospective cohort study.

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Title:	Relationships between intergroup contact and student nurses' stigma toward people living with mental illness at a mental health clinical placement: A prospective cohort study.
Authors:	Roberts, Michelle¹ (AUTHOR) robertsm@uow.edu.au, Moxham, Lorna¹ (AUTHOR), Yousiph, Taylor¹ (AUTHOR), Robson, Georgia¹ (AUTHOR), Lewer, Kelly² (AUTHOR), Jay, Elissa-Kate¹ (AUTHOR), Drury, Peta¹ (AUTHOR), Cordina, Joanne¹ (AUTHOR), Villeneuve-Smith, Suzi¹ (AUTHOR), Patterson, Christopher¹ (AUTHOR)
Source:	Nurse Education Today. Jun2025, Vol. 149, pN.PAG-N.PAG. 1p.
Subject Terms:	Statistical correlation, Internship programs, Help-seeking behavior, Longitudinal method, Pre-tests & post-tests, Research, Student attitudes, Nursing students, Repeated measures design, Pearson correlation (Statistics), Attitudes toward illness, Descriptive statistics, Multivariate analysis, People with mental illness, Social stigma, Social distancing
Abstract:	The aim of the present study was twofold. Firstly, to investigate the impact of social contact quantity and quality on stigmatising attitudes for pre-registration nursing students during a mental health clinical placement. Secondly, to compare these measures between students attending a traditional (i.e. hospital-based) and non-traditional (i.e. recovery-focused) mental health clinical placement. A prospective cohort design was used to compare student nurses' quantity and quality of contact with individuals living with mental illness. Pre-registration nurses attended a traditional (i.e. hospital-based) (N = 97) or non-traditional (i.e. recovery-focussed) (N = 184) mental health clinical placement. Scores were collected at two timepoints (pre, post) on the General Intergroup Contact Quantity and Quality Scale (QICQCQ) and the Opening Minds Stigma Scale for Healthcare Providers (OMS-HC). Responses were compared between clinical placement types over timepoints via a repeated-measures multivariate analysis of variance. Pearson correlations were performed to determine the nature and strength of relationships between intergroup contact and student nurses' stigmatising attitudes. The TREND reporting method was adhered to. A significant increase in contact quantity was identified after attending a non-traditional clinical placement (p =.009). The quality of intergroup contact reported during a non-traditional placement was significantly higher in Equality, Intimacy, Pleasantness, and Collaborativeness. No changes in intergroup contact quantity or quality were observed during the hospital-based placement (all p >.05). Correlational analyses showed that increases in these types of contact quality were significantly associated with lower stigmatising attitudes, lower desire to social distance, and lower stigma surrounding disclosure/help-seeking. The study highlights a significant association between high-quality intergroup contact and reduced stigmatising attitudes. Increases in contact quality were linked to lower levels of stigma, reduced social distancing, and a more supportive attitude toward disclosure and help-seeking. Results underscore the effectiveness of non-traditional mental health placements in fostering more meaningful and positive interactions between pre-registration student nurses and individuals with mental illness. This, in turn, contributes to a decrease in stigmatising attitudes among future healthcare professionals. • Mental health clinical placements allow students to engage with people who have a lived experience of mental illness. • Social contact theory suggests that intergroup contact can reduce mental health related stigma. • Non-traditional (i.e. recovery-focused) clinical placements can permit higher quality contact, reducing student nurse stigma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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Database:	Education Research Complete

Description
Abstract:	The aim of the present study was twofold. Firstly, to investigate the impact of social contact quantity and quality on stigmatising attitudes for pre-registration nursing students during a mental health clinical placement. Secondly, to compare these measures between students attending a traditional (i.e. hospital-based) and non-traditional (i.e. recovery-focused) mental health clinical placement. A prospective cohort design was used to compare student nurses' quantity and quality of contact with individuals living with mental illness. Pre-registration nurses attended a traditional (i.e. hospital-based) (N = 97) or non-traditional (i.e. recovery-focussed) (N = 184) mental health clinical placement. Scores were collected at two timepoints (pre, post) on the General Intergroup Contact Quantity and Quality Scale (QICQCQ) and the Opening Minds Stigma Scale for Healthcare Providers (OMS-HC). Responses were compared between clinical placement types over timepoints via a repeated-measures multivariate analysis of variance. Pearson correlations were performed to determine the nature and strength of relationships between intergroup contact and student nurses' stigmatising attitudes. The TREND reporting method was adhered to. A significant increase in contact quantity was identified after attending a non-traditional clinical placement (p =.009). The quality of intergroup contact reported during a non-traditional placement was significantly higher in Equality, Intimacy, Pleasantness, and Collaborativeness. No changes in intergroup contact quantity or quality were observed during the hospital-based placement (all p >.05). Correlational analyses showed that increases in these types of contact quality were significantly associated with lower stigmatising attitudes, lower desire to social distance, and lower stigma surrounding disclosure/help-seeking. The study highlights a significant association between high-quality intergroup contact and reduced stigmatising attitudes. Increases in contact quality were linked to lower levels of stigma, reduced social distancing, and a more supportive attitude toward disclosure and help-seeking. Results underscore the effectiveness of non-traditional mental health placements in fostering more meaningful and positive interactions between pre-registration student nurses and individuals with mental illness. This, in turn, contributes to a decrease in stigmatising attitudes among future healthcare professionals. • Mental health clinical placements allow students to engage with people who have a lived experience of mental illness. • Social contact theory suggests that intergroup contact can reduce mental health related stigma. • Non-traditional (i.e. recovery-focused) clinical placements can permit higher quality contact, reducing student nurse stigma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
ISSN:	02606917
DOI:	10.1016/j.nedt.2025.106660