Mind over Myths: Exploring the Public Endorsement of Mental Illness Misconceptions and their Associated Factors

Paola, Miletic (2025) Mind over Myths: Exploring the Public Endorsement of Mental Illness Misconceptions and their Associated Factors. Undergraduate thesis, Dublin, National College of Ireland.

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Abstract

Objectives: Research on the formation and persistence of misconceptions, particularly in relation to mental illness, highlights the need to explore the broader network of beliefs that collectively influence rational thinking. The present study investigated whether pseudoscientific beliefs, paranormal thinking and cognitive reflection each predict misconceptions about mental illness, and examined their endorsement rate among the general public.

Method: A total of 157 participants completed an online questionnaire examining their endorsement of mental illness misconceptions, as well as measures assessing their pseudoscientific beliefs, paranormal thinking and cognitive reflection. Preliminary analyses were carried out to account for the influence of several covariates (age, education, history of mental health diagnosis, religious and political affiliation), following a hierarchical multiple regression analysis using SPSS version 28.0.1.1.

Results: The findings of the present study support the hypothesis that higher levels of pseudoscientific thinking are positively correlated with increased misconceptions about mental illness and its treatment. Contrary to expectations, neither paranormal beliefs nor cognitive reflection significantly predicted the endorsement of mental illness misconceptions, thus rejecting these hypothesized associations. However, lower education levels emerged as a significant contributing factor.

Conclusion: These results emphasize the importance of addressing pseudoscientific beliefs in an effort to reduce misconceptions about mental illness. Improving the ability to differentiate between pseudoscience and evidence-based science, especially in earlier stages of education, may help prevent the formation of flawed inferential frameworks, thereby reducing susceptibility to misconceptions endorsement. This approach may subsequently contribute to a reduction in stigmatization and negative societal attitudes toward mental illness.

Item Type:	Thesis (Undergraduate)
Supervisors:	Name Email O'Brien, Fearghal UNSPECIFIED Mothersill, David UNSPECIFIED
Subjects:	B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > Psychology B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > Psychology > Cognitive psychology R Medicine > RA Public aspects of medicine > RA790 Mental Health
Divisions:	School of Business (- 2025) > BA (Honours) in Psychology
Depositing User:	Ciara O'Brien
Date Deposited:	10 Nov 2025 11:55
Last Modified:	10 Nov 2025 11:55
URI:	https://norma.ncirl.ie/id/eprint/8904

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