Social distance and perceived dangerousness across four diagnostic categories of mental disorder.
OBJECTIVE
To examine whether laypersons make categorical distinctions between psychoses, neuroses, and addictive behaviours relative to desired social distance and whether degree of familiarity and perceived dangerousness influences social distance judgements.


METHODS
Two studies were undertaken using the mental health literacy framework. The first study involved surveying lay beliefs and perceptions of a mentally ill person who exhibited behavioural cues of one of the following: schizophrenia, depression, alcohol abuse, or substance dependence. The second study involved a partial replication and refinement of the first study to determine whether discriminate judgements across diagnostic categories were influenced by perceived dangerousness.


RESULTS
Findings from study 1 indicated that laypersons do differentiate between psychological disorders and respond to them differently relative to social distance. Results from study 2 confirmed those of study 1 and in addition suggested that perceived dangerousness influences social distance, largely with respect to schizophrenia.


CONCLUSIONS
Laypersons make categorical distinctions between different types of disorders. Perceived dangerousness is more strongly associated with schizophrenia, than is warranted when considered against acts of violence and aggression committed by individuals with alcohol abuse and substance dependence problems.
Marie
Dannette
D
Department of Psychology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
Miles
Brad
B
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D019973:Alcohol-Related Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003463:Cues; D003617:Dangerous Behavior; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007600:Judgment; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D008875:Middle Aged; D012929:Psychological Distance; D012494:Sampling Studies; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D012737:Sex Factors; D012938:Social Perception; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires