Neurobehavioral Mechanisms Underlying Attitudes (1 CE)
This course is for: Clinical Psychologists, Counselors, and Nurses
Course By: Tamara Avery, PsyD
Content By: Shin, W., Woo, C., Jung, W. H., Kim, H., Lee, T. Y., Decety, J., and Kwon, J. S. (2020). The Neurobehavioral Mechanisms Underlying Attitudes Toward People with Mental or Physical Illness. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, 14(571225), 1-12.
Course Description: Mental illness is one of the largest growing categories of disease. Despite its devastating effects on individuals, families, and communities, the resources allocated to caring for the mentally ill are inadequate. Social stigma and discrimination contribute to this imbalance, preventing appropriate care and treatment from reaching those diagnosed. This functional MRI study examined whether a lack of self-other similarity during mental state attribution affects perceivers’ theory of mind and, subsequently, how they value a patient’s welfare. Researchers found that stereotyped beliefs about and prejudice against the mentally ill may cause others to respond without appropriate empathy and care.
Learning Objectives:
- Identify the purpose of the study and the methods related to theory of mind as examined in the article
- Analyze the data by exploring the statistical tests used in conjunction with the discussed findings
- Integrate the study limitations with the identified areas of future research
Course Outline:
- Read and understand The Neurobehavioral Mechanisms Underlying Attitudes Toward People with Mental or Physical Illness
- Review the Course Description and Learning Objectives
- Consider the factors related to empathic concern, mentalizing, and value-based decisions coupled with the statistical findings from the accompanying article
- Work through the post-test questions; keep in mind that answer selections should be derived from the respective article
- Return to the referenced article for any missed questions and/or to better understand the relationship between the role social stigmatization plays in those diagnosed with mental or physical health issues
Implicit biases incorporate an association that occurs outside of conscious awareness that may resultantly lead to a negative patient evaluation derived from irrelevant characteristics, i.e., gender and/or race. A systematic review of the literature was conducted. Thirty-five studies identified the existence of implicit bias in healthcare professionals; all correlational studies evidenced a significant positive relationship between implicit bias levels and lower quality of care (FitzGerald & Hurst, 2017). Continued research in health care settings, combined with greater method homogeneity, should be employed to examine the occurrence and prevalence of implicit biases in healthcare settings as a strategic approach for mitigating related disparities (FitzGerald & Hurst, 2017).
Reference
FitzGerald, C., Hurst, S. (2017). Implicit bias in healthcare professionals: a systematic review. BMC Med Ethics 18, 19.
Approvals:
Board Approvals | American Psychological Association (APA), NBCC, Florida Board - Social Work, MFT, Counseling, and Psychology, NYSED - Social Work, MFT and Counseling Only, American Academy of Health Care Providers in the Addictive Disorders |
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CE Format | Online, Text-Based |