Who is called mentally ill: public and professional views

This study was designed to identify factors that influence the decision to call someone mentally ill, and to determine some attitudinal correlates of such labelling. Members of the general public and mental health professionals were queried on their views about etiologies of mental illness, circumstances in which they would call someone mentally ill, and opinions about restricting occupational choices of the formerly hospitalized. Results showed considerable agreement between lay respondents and mental health professionals. The label of mental illness was applied by both groups with considerably greater restraint than was anticipated on the basis of prior research. Across issues, two patterns of response emerged; some respondents believe that mental illness is a real entity, apply the label to a wide range of behavior, regard hospitalization as the best course of action and restrict the occupational choices of the formerly hospitalized. At the other extreme is a subset of respondents who regard hospitalization as objectionable in principle, who narrowly define mental illness and who are unlikely to restrict the career choices of the formerly hospitalized. These findings are related to previous work in the field.