Peer employees' and clinicians' perceptions of public mental illness stigma and discrimination.

OBJECTIVE

Stigma and discrimination against people with mental illnesses are serious problems that can lead to many negative effects. This study examined providers' awareness of consumers' daily lived experience of discrimination.

METHOD

We surveyed 51 peer employees and 52 licensed clinicians to learn how they viewed the extent of public stigma and discrimination.

RESULTS

Clinicians, women, and those who had observed a friend with a mental illness treated unfairly perceived significantly higher levels of public discrimination than did their counterparts (adjusted R² = .399, p < .001). Men's perceptions of public discrimination were more strongly affected by personal contact.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

Mental health providers are uniquely situated to help consumers deal with the effects of discrimination and should incorporate this issue into their clinical practice. Further research should examine the reasons for differences in perception and how these differences relate to provider behavior and consumer outcomes.