title: The influence of diagnostic label and degree of abnormality on attitudes toward former mental patients.
abstract: The proposition was advanced that diagnostic label (i.e., style in which patients' mental illness is described) and severity of illness may both influence vocational, social and psychiatric judgments of exmental patients. Two occupational groups -vocational rehabilitation counselors and businessmen-professionals-rated biographical sketches in which diagnostic label and severity of illness were varied. The results indicated that diagnostic label did not influence attitudes, but that severity of psychiatric condition did. Differences between occupational groups' ratings were negligible. It is suggested that subsequent studies take into account the factor of severity of illness when investigating style of patient presentation.
authors.affiliation: Horizon House, a post-psychiatric rehabilitation center, Philadelphia, Pa..
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Loeb
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wolf
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rosen
authors.forename: I D
authors.initials: ID
authors.lastname: Rutman