Demographic associations with attitudes to psychiatry amongst medical and psychology students in the United Arab Emirates: a multi-institution cross-sectional study

Background: Despite recent improvements in the visibility of mental health, the prevalence of stigma remains high. Exploring the attitudes toward psychiatry among students can provide insight into the future. Currently, there is limited available data about the attitudes toward psychiatry among university students in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). This study aimed to explore the attitudes toward psychiatry among medical and psychology students in the UAE. The country’s diverse population allowed us to explore the possibility of cultural and geographical differences in the participants’ stated views toward psychiatry. Methods: This cross-sectional study recruited Medical and Psychology students from three major UAE universities: Ajman University, Mohamed bin Rashid University, and the United Arab Emirates University. The participants completed the Attitudes Toward Psychiatry-30 items scale (ATP-30), examining attitudes towards mental illness, psychiatric patients, treatment methods, psychiatric institutions, psychiatrists, psychiatric education, and psychiatry as a career choice. A logistic regression model was used to assess the relationship between ATP-30 scores and gender, geographical origin, age, and university major. Results: Five hundred and three (503) students participated, comprising 377 (75%) medical and 126 (25%) psychology students. The mean ATP-30 score for the whole sample was 108 (SD = 14.1; CI 95%=107, 109). A significant correlation was found between higher ATP-30 scores and the female students (p <.001; effect size Cohen’s d = 0.6; CI 95%=0.40, 0.80), students pursuing psychology (p <.001; effect size Cohen’s d=-0.50; CI 95%= -0.70, -0.30), and those 20 years or older (p =.007; effect size Cohen’s d = 0.26; CI 95%=0.07, 0.45). Conclusions: Female students, those above 20, and those pursuing a psychology major had more favourable attitudes toward psychiatry. This is one of the first studies in the UAE assessing ATP-30 scores among medical and psychology students. Insights from this study will help improve psychiatry recruitment and reduce stigmatisation in the UAE and the wider region.