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Objective: The aim was to evaluate the effects of psychiatric nursing education on beliefs about mental illness and social distance.
Method: The present study was conducted with first year students (N=149) who had received no education about psychiatry nursing and fourth year students (N=53) who had received theoretical and practical psychiatric nursing education supported by films. This was a cross-sectional study, conducted in the spring semester of the 2014-2015 academic year with students studying in the nursing department of a university. The questionnaire used in the present study consisted of socio-demographic information questions and questions on factors thought to affect beliefs about mental illnesses and social distance. In addition, the Turkish adaptation of the Beliefs Towards Mental Illness Scale and the Social Distance Scale were used. The educated group had received 112 hours of practical education and 56 hours of theoretical education over a period of 14 weeks.
Results: This education was found to have made a significant difference in changing the beliefs of nursing students about inpiduals experiencing mental health problems in a positive way.
Conclusion: It was concluded that in order to change the perceptions of students, it would be appropriate for mental health and psychiatric nursing education to be integrated into lessons, beginning in the first year. In addition, it would be useful to conduct cohort type studies to support these findings.