Attitude change in college students and chronic patients: A dual perspective

Assessed both initial attitudes and attitude change among 30 college students and 320 chronic patients participating in a hospital companionship program. Student attitudes toward a number of mental health concepts were initially similar to 2 student control groups (N = 30 each). Patient expectations of college students likewise were similar to patient controls. At the conclusion of the program, students manifested significantly more favorable attitudes toward patients and less favorable attitudes toward the mental hospital; patients saw the students as more nurturant than they had initially expected. A social hierarchy hypothesis is advanced to partially account for the reported success of similar companionship programs. (22 ref.)