Generalizability and specificity of the stigma associated with the mental illness label: A reconsideration twenty-five years later

Abstract

The current status of the generalizability (i.e., application across situations) and specificity (i.e., differentiation from other deviant behavior stigmas) of the mental illness stigma was re-examined 25 years after delineation by Lamy (1966). College undergraduate students completed 30 forced-choice items measuring deep-level attitudes toward ex-mental patients vis-à-vis ex-convicts or ex-drug addicts. Etiological factors and various areas of functioning (i.e., psychological and social functioning, dating and romantic relationships, family, children, work, and rehabilitation and recidivism) were considered. An attitudinal hierarchy was found for the three deviant social roles, with the ex-drug addict role eliciting the least negative attitudes and the ex-convict role eliciting the most negative attitudes. The current results indicate that the stigma associated with the ex-mental patient role continues to be specific to that deviant social role; however, as compared to the results of Lamy, attitudes toward this deviant social role have evolved in a positive direction. The generalizability of the stigma reported by Lamy has diminished in relation to negative attitudes but remains somewhat stable for positive attitudes. Although college students were the participants in Lamy's study, their use in this study may restrict the generalizability of these deep-level attitude findings.

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