As noted in the literature review, fear and perceptions of dangerousness related to persons with mental illness, particularly those with serious mental illness, may have increased over the past few decades. Footnote 88 Some researchers have speculated that media images of persons with serious mental illness, e.g. in popular films, could be playing a role in this. Footnote 89 Most people appear to be aware that media portrayals are often inaccurate: a majority of Canadians surveyed (66%) agreed completely or almost completely with the statement that people with mental health problems are often inaccurately portrayed in the media. Similarly, focus group participants said the media does not portray mental health problems accurately, primarily because sensationalism sells. It is the most extreme and graphic stories, often involving violence, that are most likely to make news, and these stories often dehumanize the person with mental illness, turning him or her into a label.
Stigma is often assessed by asking people about their level of comfort with various situations of increasing social proximity (social distance measures). Preferences about social distance are related to social rejection and stigma, Footnote 90 which are also associated with perceptions of dangerousness and fear. Footnote 91
In the survey, Canadians reported some openness to social interaction with the mentally ill but less comfort putting them in positions of responsibility. Asked if they would be comfortable being neighbours or friends with the person in the vignette, most said they would be very or somewhat comfortable, although less so with the person in the schizophrenia vignette, especially a male. When asked how they would feel working on a project with them, the means dropped. Scores were lowest when asked about having the person in the vignette take care of a friend’s children. Respondents said they were very or somewhat uncomfortable with a mentally ill person looking after children. They were less comfortable with males with mental illness in this role than with females and least comfortable with the idea of persons with schizophrenia watching children, particularly males.
Similarly, focus group participants were less comfortable with the people in both scenarios (schizophrenia and depression) as social distance decreased, but much less comfortable with the person with schizophrenia. The comment below reveals that, as suggested by research, Footnote 92 the symptoms of depression are considered part of normal human experience but the symptoms of schizophrenia are not.
“We all go through a mild [depression] period from time to time, but there is no [schizophrenia] period in everyone’s life.”
Return to note 88 Phelan et al, 2000; Walker and Read, 2002
Return to note 89 Granello et al, 1999; Olstead, 2002; Anderson, 2003; Stuart, 2003; Clarke, 2004
Return to note 90 Corrigan and Penn,, 1999; Corrigan et al, 2003; Phelan et al, 2000; Mann and Himelein, 2004; Lauber et al, 2004
Return to note 91 Link et al, 1999; Walker and Read, 1999; Phelan et al, 2000; Read and Law, 1999; Corrigan et al, 2001; Corrigan et al, 2003
Return to note 92 Prior et al, 2003; Gray, 2002; Simonds and Thorpe, 2002; Prior et al, 2003