The adjectives most strongly attributed to the concept of ex-mental patient by a sample of 30 male and female suburbanites were excitable, strange, tense, strong, uncertain, unsure, unpredictable, convincing, active, and mysterious. In addition, an r of .74 was found between dangerous and unpredictable. These findings may suggest that although the public stereotype of mental patients has undergone positive change since 1960, ex-mental patients still tend to be perceived as potential threat-bearers to the community. Unfounded fears based upon this perception may motivate resistances to community-based treatment programs for this group.
References
1.
BentzW. K.EdgertonJ. W.The consequences of labeling a person mentally ill. Social Psychiatry, 1971, 6, 29–33.
2.
CrocettiG.LemkauP.Public opinion of psychiatric home care in an urban area. American Journal of Public Health, 1963, 53, 409–417.
3.
HusekT. R.BobrenH.The relative importance of labels and behavior descriptions in determining attitudes toward labeled behavior. Psychological Record, 1964, 14, 319–325.
4.
LemkauP.CrocettiG.An urban population's opinion and knowledge about mental illness. American Journal of Psychiatry, 1962, 118, 692–700.
5.
MeyerJ.Attitudes toward mental illness in a Maryland community. Public Health Reports, 1964, 79, 769–772.
6.
NunnallyJ.Popular conceptions of mental health: Their development and change. New York: Holt, 1961.
7.
OsgoodC. F.SuciG. J.TannenbaumP. H.The measurement of meaning. Urbana: Univer. of Illinois Press, 1957.
8.
PhillipsD. L.Rejection: A possible consequence of seeking help for mental disorders. American Sociological Review, 1963, 28, 963–972.
9.
PhillipsD. L.Rejection of the mentally ill: The influence of behavior and sex. American Sociological Review, 1964, 29, 679–687.
10.
PhillipsD. L.Public identification and acceptance of the mentally ill. American Journal of Public Health, 1966, 56, 755–763.
11.
PhillipsD. L.Identification of mental illness: Its consequences for rejection. Community Mental Health Journal, 1967, 3, 262–266.
12.
RabkinJ. G.Public attitudes toward mental illness: A review of the literature. Schizophrenia Bulletin, Fall1974, 9–33.
13.
RhodesW. C.Behavioral threat and community response: A community psychology inquiry. New York: Behavioral Publns, 1972.
14.
RosenhanD. L.On being sane in insane places. Science, 1973, 179, 250–258.
15.
SarbinT. R.MancusoJ. C.Paradigms and moral judgments: Improper conduct is not disease. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 1972, 39, 6–8.
16.
SievekingN.DoctorR.Student attitudes toward physical, psychological, and social problems. Proceedings of the 11th Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association, 1969, 4, 855–856.
17.
TringoJ. L.The hierarchy of preference toward disability groups. Journal of Special Education, 1970, 4, 295–306.
18.
WatleyC.Social attitudes toward discharged patients. Social Problems, 1958–59, 6, 313–320.
