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What about psychiatrists' attitude to mentally ill people?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 April 2020

Christoph Lauber ,
Marion Anthony ,
Vladeta Ajdacic-Gross  and
Wulf Rössler
Christoph Lauber*
Affiliation:
Psychiatric University Hospital, Militärstrasse 8, PO Box 1930, 8021 Zurich, Switzerland
Marion Anthony
Affiliation:
Psychiatric University Hospital, Militärstrasse 8, PO Box 1930, 8021 Zurich, Switzerland
Vladeta Ajdacic-Gross
Affiliation:
Psychiatric University Hospital, Militärstrasse 8, PO Box 1930, 8021 Zurich, Switzerland
Wulf Rössler
Affiliation:
Psychiatric University Hospital, Militärstrasse 8, PO Box 1930, 8021 Zurich, Switzerland
*
*Corresponding author. Email addresses:[email protected]
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Abstract

Objective

Firstly, to assess and, secondly, to compare experts' and lay attitudes towards community psychiatry and the respective social distance towards mentally ill people.

Method

Comparison of two representative Swiss samples, one comprising of 90 psychiatrists, the other including 786 individuals of the general population.

Results

The psychiatrists' attitude was significantly more positive than that of the general population although both samples have a positive attitude to community psychiatry. The statement that mental health facilities devalue a residential area has revealed most agreement. Psychiatrists and the public do not differ in their social distance to mentally ill people. Among both samples, the level of social distance increases the more the situation described implies ‘social closeness’.

Conclusion

The strategy to use psychiatrists as role models or opinion leaders in anti-stigma campaigns cannot be realised without accompanying actions. Psychiatrists must be aware that their attitudes do not differ from the general public and, thus, they should improve their knowledge about stigma and discrimination towards people with mental illnesses.

Keywords

Expert and lay attitudeMental illnessCommunity psychiatrySocial distanceAnti-stigma campaign
Type
Original article
Information
European Psychiatry , Volume 19 , Issue 7 , November 2004 , pp. 423 - 427
Copyright
Copyright © European Psychiatric Association 2004

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