What Shapes Attitudes of People with Mental Disorders towards Possible Treatment Methods? The Case of Russia

The present research problematizes how people with psychological disorders in Russia choose the treatment method and what are the factors leading to a choice; how people with mental disorders shape the attitude towards possible ways of treatment. The study is focusing on people diagnosed with affective mood disorders to address the mechanisms and factors of shaping attitudes of possible treatment methods for affective mood disorders. To bring the light on the given research questions it aims to: a) to learn the experience of people in the treatment of affective mood disorders; b) to identify what motivates/demotivates people to choose a particular treatment method; c) to indicate what are factors contributing to the choice of the treatment method. A sample includes 15 informants aged 21 years and older, who were interviewed during the telephone conversation. The method of further analysis was provided by the analysis of narratives collected to interpret the experience of informants. The analysis of narratives marked out conceptual and semantic categories henceforth seen in narratives as factors shaping attitudes towards methods of treatment and thereunder affecting the choice of the treatment program. The results show that those factors are experience, practices, values, the relationship of trust, information awareness, urgency and beliefs about the treatment. The motivation of people diagnosed with affective mood disorders is explained by personal values and beliefs about the importance of mental health. It was noted that possible side effects could demotivate to follow pharmacological treatment. The diverse experience of informants outlines that there is a variety of treatment methods available for affective mood disorders in Russia: medications, public psychoneurological dispensaries, day-patient treatment hospitals, consultations with different psychotherapies etc.