Perceptions of Positive Treatment and Discrimination Toward People With Mental Health Problems: Findings From the 2017 and 2019 Attitudes to Mental Illness Surveys

Evaluations of antistigma interventions typically assess changes in knowledge and attitudes and rarely measure behavior. This article reports interim findings on perceived and self-reported avoidance, discrimination, and positive treatment from the 2017 and 2019 Attitudes to Mental Illness surveys,...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Stigma and health (Washington, D.C.) D.C.), 2020-11, Vol.5 (4), p.463-471
Main Authors: Rossetto, Alyssia, Potts, Laura C., Reavley, Nicola J., Henderson, Claire
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Avoidance
Discrimination
Female
Health Knowledge
Human
Intervention
Male
Mental Disorders
Mental Health Stigma
Mental Illness (Attitudes Toward)
Public Opinion
Self-Report
Test Construction
Treatment
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Summary:Evaluations of antistigma interventions typically assess changes in knowledge and attitudes and rarely measure behavior. This article reports interim findings on perceived and self-reported avoidance, discrimination, and positive treatment from the 2017 and 2019 Attitudes to Mental Illness surveys, which evaluate England's Time to Change program. Nationally representative quota samples of participants ages 16 or over (n = 1,720 in 2017 and n = 1,785 in 2019) were interviewed about mental health-related knowledge and attitudes, reported and intended contact with people with mental health problems, awareness of Time to Change, and knowledge of anyone with a mental health problem in the last 12 months. Participants who knew someone with mental ill health indicated how they thought the person had been treated by others in different life areas and whether they themselves had avoided the person, treated them unfairly, or treated them more positively. There were no changes in perceived treatment over time. Logistic regressions found that more prejudicial attitudes and less intended contact were associated with self-reported avoidance, whereas poorer knowledge was associated with unfair treatment. Greater knowledge and reported contact were associated with positive treatment. Future antistigma interventions could use these findings to differentially target avoidance, discrimination, and positive treatment toward people with mental health problems.
ISSN:2376-6972
2376-6964
DOI:10.1037/sah0000216