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Method in the Madness. Jack Trammell, Ph.D. Randolph-Macon College U.S.A. “People will never understand something in which they have no knowledge.”. “I don’t tell anyone about my disability…”.
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Method in the Madness Jack Trammell, Ph.D. Randolph-Macon College U.S.A.
“People will never understand something in which they have no knowledge.” “I don’t tell anyone about my disability…” “I don’t like to tell people about it because it’s embarrassing, but I feel the need to tell my teachers because they think I’m not trying on my tests, when in reality I really am trying my best.” “…My professors told me that my disabilities were not his problem and he did not care…” “ADD makes you think in different ways, often in ways others cannot understand, but in ways that are often crucial to society.”
A FoucauldianGovernmentality of the Mind • Reframing of mental illness in recent decades (positive and negative) (L. Davis) • Growth of postsecondary student population with mental health disabilities (AHEAD) • The dilemmas of accommodation • The “red shirt” of disclosure (Trammell) Disclosure Power Stigma
The Freshmen Mental Health Project • Identify entering freshmen with self-disclosed mental health-related disabilities (n = 46) • Offer them additional wellness resources • Survey and track them to see how their experience is complicated by a governmentality of the mind (disclosure, retention, GPA, stigma, etc.) • Frame a smaller picture of a much larger problem
“Powerful egalitarian ethos...of the west” (Steven Ozment) • Labeling vs. Independence of Identity • Consumerism and Medicalization of illness (Tomes) • Spread of disability rights movement (DRM) • U.N. and human rights
Influential paradigms • Erving Goffman and information management • Mechanistic views of the brain and identity • Popularity of pharmaceutical interventions in past fifty years • “Mediazation” of mental health issues
In their own words: “I want others around me to understand my difficulties and be accepting.” “People sometimes act harsh towards them because they do not understand that there is an extra need for help.” “They think people are crazy. It hurts when people you care about categorize people like myself as ‘crazy.’” “They treat those with disabilities as if those without disabilities are superior.” “They will treat you differently…” (Note “us” vs. “them” language—Richard Kearney)
Glances at the data The first two years of the Freshmen Mental Health Project (FMHP) (References are on a separate handout)
Table 1 FMHP Self-Reported Demographic Characteristics (n = 46) Category Group 1 Group 2 Institution** _____________________________________________________________________ Minority Status* 5 minority (10.9%) 41 non-minority (89.1%) 18.9% minority Gender 14 male (30.4%) 32 female (69.6%) 46.9% male Visibility of Dis. 3 visible (2%) 43 invisible (98%) No data _____________________________________________________________________ *Minority status is self-report most often based on race and ethnicity. **Institutionally reported figures for 2009-2010.
Table 2 PSSDRS Scores First Two Cohorts (n = 46) Category Items Mean Score Standard Deviation _______________________________________________________________________ Academic Stigma 6 10.65 4.21 Peer Relationship Stigma 6 7.78 3.27 Self-Identity Stigma 6 9.59 3.36 Global Community Stigma 6 7.58 3.64 _______________________________________________________________________ TOTAL 24 35.61 11.05
Table 3 Primary Mental Heath Related Disabilities by Category as Disclosed (n = 46) Category Students Percentage _______________________________________________________________________ ADHD Co-Morbid* 32 69% Depression 3 7% Bi-Polar Disorder 1 2% Obsessive Compulsive Disorder 0 ----- Anxiety Disorder 6 13% Asperger’s/Autism Spectrum 1 2% Other** 3 7% _______________________________________________________________________ TOTAL 46 100% *Co-morbid with another self-reported mental health-related disability and often learning disabilities though, interestingly, students very frequently choose ADHD as their primary identity, rather than the other mental health disorders listed. One suspects this is because ADHD is less stigmatized in the current climate. **Including Traumatic Brain Injury and other Personality Disorders
Table 5 PSSDRS Mean Scores by Minority and Gender Status (n = 46) Category Minority/Non Female/Male Combined/Male Non-Minority (n = 5; n = 41) (n = 33; n = 13) (n = 4; n = 42) _______________________________________________________________________ AS 10.40/10.68 10.59/10.78 11.00/10.61 PR 7.80/7.78 7.59/8.21 7.75/7.78 SI 7.60/9.83 9.56/9.64 7.50/9.79 GC 5.80/7.80 7.53/7.71 4.75/7.86 _______________________________________________________________________ TOTAL 31.60/36.09 35.28/36.36 31.00/36.05 AS = Academic Stigma, PR = Peer Relationship Stigma, SI = Self-Identity Stigma, and GC = Global Community Stigma
Contact Information: Jack Trammell, Ph.D. Randolph-Macon College P. O. Box 5005 114 College Avenue Ashland, Virginia 23005 USA (804) 752-7343 FAX (804) 752-3744 jtrammel@rmc.edu Alternate Email: jacktrammell@yahoo.com Website: jacktrammellbooks.com