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The Relationship between Biogenetic Causal Explanations and Social Distance toward People with Mental Disorders: Results from a Population Survey in Germany

Author

Listed:
  • Sandra Dietrich
  • Herbert Matschinger

    (Department of Psychiatry, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.)

  • Matthias C. Angermeyer

    (Department of Psychiatry, University of Leipzig, Johannisallee 20, 04317 Leipzig, Germany. krausem@medizin.uni-leipzig.de)

Abstract

Aims: Several studies have found an inverse relationship between people's readiness to endorse biogenetic causal explanations of mental disorder and their desire for social distance from people with mental disorders. The aim of this study is to examine why this may be the case. Method: In the spring of 2001, a population survey was carried out among German citizens aged 18 years and older, living in private households. A total of 5025 interviews were conducted, reflecting a response rate of 65.1%. At the beginning of the personal, fully structured interview, respondents were presented with a vignette containing a diagnostically unlabelled psychiatric case history, either depicting a case of schizophrenia or major depressive disorder. Using five-point Likert scales, causal attributions as well as perceived dangerousness, fear and the desire for social distance were assessed. Results: The more respondents endorse a brain disease as a cause, the more dangerous they believe the person with schizophrenia or major depression to be. Respondents who perceive the individual in the vignette as being dangerous express a higher degree of fear and a greater preference for social distance from these individuals. As compared with brain disease, the relationships between heredity and perceived dangerousness are less pronounced for both disorders. Conclusions: Our analysis showed that endorsing biogenetic explanations decreases the likelihood of social acceptance of people with schizophrenia and major depression. Rejecting behavioural responses in the form of social distance desired from people with schizophrenia and major depression result from cognitive emotional processes in which biogenetic causal attributions are linked to lack of self-control, unpredictability and dangerousness, which, in turn, are associated with fear of these people.

Suggested Citation

  • Sandra Dietrich & Herbert Matschinger & Matthias C. Angermeyer, 2006. "The Relationship between Biogenetic Causal Explanations and Social Distance toward People with Mental Disorders: Results from a Population Survey in Germany," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 52(2), pages 166-174, March.
  • Handle: RePEc:sae:socpsy:v:52:y:2006:i:2:p:166-174
    DOI: 10.1177/0020764006061246
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. John Read & Alan Law, 1999. "The Relationship of Causal Beliefs and Contact With Users of Mental Health Services To Attitudes To the 'Mentally Ill'," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 45(3), pages 216-229, September.
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    Cited by:

    1. Matthias C Angermeyer & Aurélie Millier & Cécile Rémuzat & Tarek Refaï & Georg Schomerus & Mondher Toumi, 2015. "Continuum beliefs and attitudes towards people with mental illness: Results from a national survey in France," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 61(3), pages 297-303, May.
    2. Ross M.G. Norman & Deborah Windell & Rahul Manchanda, 2012. "Examining differences in the stigma of depression and schizophrenia," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 58(1), pages 69-78, January.
    3. Kvaale, Erlend P. & Gottdiener, William H. & Haslam, Nick, 2013. "Biogenetic explanations and stigma: A meta-analytic review of associations among laypeople," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 96(C), pages 95-103.
    4. Easter, Michele M., 2012. "“Not all my fault”: Genetics, stigma, and personal responsibility for women with eating disorders," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 75(8), pages 1408-1416.
    5. Marina Economou & Joanna Despina Bergiannaki & Lily Evangelia Peppou & Ismini Karayanni & George Skalkotos & Athanasios Patelakis & Kyriakos Souliotis & Costas Stefanis, 2016. "Attitudes towards depression, psychiatric medication and help-seeking intentions amid financial crisis: Findings from Athens area," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 62(3), pages 243-251, May.

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