Attitudes towards severe mental illness and social distance: A survey of volunteer befrienders in Austria.

Background: Research suggests there is a propensity for people in the general population to distance themselves from people with severe mental illness (SMI), which reportedly decreases with increased contact with individuals with SMI. Volunteer befrienders in the mental health sector have ongoing contact with this population, yet little data exist to reflect their attitudes towards people with SMI.

Method: A questionnaire was distributed to all volunteer befrienders for people with SMI within volunteering programmes organised in five Austrian regions.

Characteristics and motivations of volunteers providing one-to-one support for people with mental illness: a survey in Austria.

Purpose: Large numbers of volunteers provide one-to-one support for people with mental illness, sometimes referred to as befriending. However, there has been very little research on their characteristics and motivations. This study aimed to assess the personal characteristics and motivations of such volunteers across different regions in Austria.