Marie-Michelle Ivantechenko
Advisor: Vicki Helgeson
Major: Psychology
The Role of Culture in Shaping Mental Health Attitudes and Social Support Behaviors
Although there are efficacious treatments, many individuals who have mental illnesses either don’t finish their treatment course or don’t seek treatment at all. A primary reason for this is thought to be the stigma that exists around mental health. Culture and social support behaviors are two factors that can influence stigma. This project therefore has two goals: 1) to compare attitudes toward mental health difficulties of Russians living in Russia, Russian-Americans, and Americans and 2) to better understand their social support behaviors and how they relate to attitudes toward mental health difficulties. The results will shed light on the role of culture in shaping stigma and whether this stigma can be changed.
Bio
I’m really interested in factors that influence mental health and its perception by others. So far, I’ve been studying how communal coping, a form of interpersonal coping, is related to adjustment to college and psychological health outcomes. For my honors thesis, I plan to take my research further and begin to understand the cultural factors involved in shaping attitudes toward mental health difficulties and social support behaviors. As a Russian American, this research topic holds personal significance to me, as I’d like to understand how certain cultural beliefs I’ve grown up with came about. In my everyday life, I enjoy ballroom and social dancing, listening to music, going on long walks, and eating ice cream.