Attitudinal Comparison of Mental Health and Non-Mental Health Professionals Toward Ex-Mental Patients

Attitudes held by mental health professionals toward ex-mental patients were compared to those held by mental health students and non-mental health professionals on five dimensions. A 3 X 5 unweighted mean analysis of covariance with repeated measures revealed that Ss collectively held a negative attitude toward the ex-mental patient and significant group, dimension, and interaction effects. While the non-mental health professionals showed the most negative attitude, perceiving the ex-mental patient as quite dangerous and very undesirable, both mental health groups also evidenced negative views. Mental health students viewed ex-mental patients as acceptable and worthy but somewhat unpredictable, incomprehensible and ineffectual; professionals considered them to be understandable yet somewhat unpredictable and worthless but, more importantly, as very ineffectual and undesirable.