PERCEPTIONS OF PROBLEMATIC BEHAVIOR AS HELD BY LAY BLACK ADULTS AND REGISTERED NURSES (NEUMAN SYSTEMS MODEL, MENTAL ILLNESS).
Contributors: University of Pennsylvania.
Published: 1986
Number of pages: 170
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.
Description: The Neuman Systems Models (Neuman, 1982) provided the conceptualization for this research on culture and mental illness. This comparative research investigated the relationship between cultural variables and the perceptions of problematic behavior (Flaskerud, 1978; 1980a; 1980b; 1984) as held by lay black adults and black and white registered nurses. The research questions were: (1) What is the relationship between the labelling of problematic behavior as given by lay black adults and registered nurses? (2) What is the relationship between management of the problematic behavior as suggested by lay black adults and registered nurses? (3) How does the racial membership of nurses, as black or white, influence perceptions about problematic behavior? (4) To what extent do perceptions of problematic behavior differ among black adults with varying educational and professional backgrounds?.

Additionally, the interaction between race of the nurse and professional socialization on health-illness perceptions about behavior was explored.

A non-probability purposive sample of 71 staff nurses and 76 lay black adults with varying levels of education was used. Participants labelled and suggested treatment for problematic behaviors described in ten vignettes that were pre-recorded and interspersed with questions about the participant's background, socio-economic status, religion, and family. Nurses recalled a memorable experience when caring for a black patient.

One-way analysis of variance indicated that staff nurses labelled more problematic behaviors as mental illness in comparison to lay black adults. However, there was no significant difference in the management suggested. Both groups recommended psychiatric treatment as the preferred intervention. Participants with higher educational levels labelled significantly more behaviors as mental illness and suggested psychiatric intervention. Race, sex, occupation, age, number of children, and family type were significantly related to labelling of problematic behavior. There was intra-group diversity of health and illness beliefs among Afro-Americans. Black and white nurses held similar views about problematic behavior and recalled similar memorable experience. However, the nurses differed on what was learned about the health and illness behavior of blacks.

This study confirms that cultural variables influence perceptions about problematic behavior, particularly labelling of behavior, and that similarity in level of education promoted similarity in views about problematic behavior.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 47-11, Section: B, page: 4467.

Thesis (PH.D.)--UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA, 1986.

School code: 0175.