Are personal values of importance in the stigmatization of people with mental illness?
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the relation of responses to the Schwartz Value Scale to preferred social distance to a person with either schizophrenia or depression. The influence of personal value priorities on discrimination has been investigated in several contexts, but seldom with reference to social distance towards those with mental illness.


METHODS
University students (n = 200) completed the Schwartz Value Scale, as well as a measure of beliefs about mental illness and preferred social distance with reference to a vignette describing a person with either schizophrenia or depression.


RESULTS
Consistent with past findings, respondents indicated a preference for greater social distance for schizophrenia than depression, and beliefs about likelihood of socially inappropriate behaviour and danger were correlated with social distance. Self-transcendence value orientation was a significant independent predictor of preference for less social distance. These findings were not influenced by a social desirability bias.


CONCLUSIONS
Value orientation makes a significant contribution to the prediction of social distance towards those with mental illness. Evaluation of value-based interventions to reduce such discrimination appears warranted.
Norman
Ross Mg
RM
Department of Psychiatry and Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario. rnorman@uwo.ca
Sorrentino
Richard
R
Windell
Deborah
D
Manchanda
Rahul
R
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001240:Aspirations, Psychological; D003469:Culture; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009864:Ontario; D011287:Prejudice; D012929:Psychological Distance; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D012649:Self Concept; D012928:Social Desirability; D012945:Social Values; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology; D055815:Young Adult