A Causal Model of Attitudes toward Mental Health Facilities

Nonuser responses to community facilities are recognised as among the most important factors determining the success or failure of community-based systems of service delivery. A causal model of individual attitudes to community mental health care is defined and tested with survey data collected in Toronto, Ontario. The results from a path analysis show the strong antecedent influence of attitudes toward facility users and of perceived impacts of facilities on facility desirability. The importance of personal nonattitudinal characteristics on reactions to facilities is also revealed. The implications of familiarity with mental illness and of attitudes toward the mentally ill for the acceptance of community mental health facilities are considered.