國內外已探討精神疾病汙名化近數十年，回顧過去研究發現，主題從污名化相關題材如刻板印象、偏見和歧視等，到污名態度和社會距離的關聯，接著轉至減低污名化之策略。然而，研究者認為，瞭解問題的根源和原因，才是解決問題的第一步。因此，本研究團隊決定從探討精神疾病「歸因」做起。「歸因」說明個人對環境中的事件所採取的信念，並透過觀察他人行為，進行推論及解釋其事件發生的成因。本研究除了從生理、心理和社會層面深入探討一般民眾對憂鬱症患者的患病原因，同時也從因果根源(原因所在)、穩定性及內外控制性，探討民眾對疾病歸因的的看法；因此，責任歸屬也是很重要的一環。雖然社會已對精神病有許多了解和認識，但污名化現象仍普遍存在社會中。至目前為止，國內針對疾病歸因研究仍然相當稀少，鑒於瞭解民眾對疾病歸因使用之狀況，並期望能對憂鬱症患者和社會帶來助益，本研究將對此進行深入探討。
The notion of mental illness stigma has been discussed greatly in recent decades. Mata-analysis studies have concluded that topics associated with this issue have shifted from one another. In the earliest phase of stigmatization development, from stereotypes, prejudice and discrimination, stigmatizing attitude, then to the most recent focus of anti-stigma strategies. This research investigates how “causal attributions” of depressive patients are perceived by people in their local community. The term “attribution”, is a mental reasoning process when people perceive an event; by such, it can also be the belief an individual takes as an explanation for the outcome of an event or behavior. It can strongly impact them directly on how one’s thoughts or interaction with people who suffer from depression. In this study, the cause of depression is viewed from bio-psycho-social perspectives, as well as in the aspects of locus of causality, stability, and controllability. As attributions can influence an individuals’ attitude towards those who are suffering from depression, we expect to find the attributions made by people in the local community for the causes of depression. Eventually, we look forward to find solutions to reduce stigmatizing attitudes in the future.
