How the public perceives psychiatrists, psychologists, nonpsychiatric physicians, and members of the clergy.

Abstract

Accompanying two decades of change in the mental health system have been a diffusion of the roles and practices of mental health professionals as well as shifts in the public's perceptions of the various specialties. In the present study, samples of patients and nonpatients used a 4-point Likert scale to rate (a) the competence of psychologists, psychiatrists, nonpsychiatric physicians, and the clergy to treat 10 different patient types, and (b) the personal qualities of the four practitioner groups along nine different dimensions. Psychiatrists and psychologists received significantly higher ratings than both nonpsychiatric physicians and the clergy on competence to treat most menial health problems. Intergroup differences on the ratings of personal qualities suggest a less uniformly favorable perception of psychiatrists and psychologists in comparison with the other two groups. Implications for the marketing and public relations efforts of mental health practitioners are discussed.Since World War II, members of the various mental health professions have experienced dramatic shifts in their respective roles, responsibilities, and public image. According to the Department of Health and Human Services, "the decades of the 1960's and I970's exceed in intensity, magnitude, and swiftness anything seen in the prior history of mental health care in the United States" (Taube, Burns, & Kessler, 1984).

Stereotypes about Mental Health Care Providers as Predictors of Psychological Help-Seeking Intentions

“…Attribution of warmth might lead to an expectation to receive warm attitude from the professional. Conversely, previous studies have shown that medical professions are perceived as more competent but less warm (Bogart, 2001;Schindler et al, 1987;von Sydow & Reimer, 1998). Our results suggest that, even when people consider psychological help-seeking, the perceived warmth of a family doctor is not decisive.…”

“…The perceived warmth of psychiatrist promotes the willingness to seek psychiatric help. Previous studies showed that in general psychiatrists were perceived as competent but cold compared to other mental health care professions (Schindler et al, 1987;von Sydow & Reimer, 1998;Wollersheim & Walsh, 1993). Although both stereotypes are important factors for the public to consider when seeking psychiatric help, the chances are that those who are not exposed to this popular negative stereotype about psychiatrists have more favourable attitudes when seeking help.…”

“…Religious people are particularly likely to choose help from the representatives of this profession (Smith & Simmonds, 2006). Similarly to psychologists, clergypersons usually are perceived as warm and caring (Schindler, Berren, Hannah, Beigel, & Santiago, 1987), but contrary to psychologists, their help may be more approachable to the public and cost less.…”

“…Compared to other helping professionals, psychologists and clergypersons are perceived as warmer (Schindler et al, 1987;von Sydow & Reimer, 1998). Attribution of warmth might lead to an expectation to receive warm attitude from the professional.…”

“…Medical professions, such as physicians and psychiatrists, in general are perceived as competent, but cold, whereas psychologists and clergypersons as warm, but less competent (Bogart, 2001;Schindler et al, 1987;von Sydow & Reimer, 1998;Wollersheim & Walsh, 1993). Based on the Stereotype Content Model (Cuddy et al, 2007;Fiske et al, 1999), a competent but cold professional in the best-case scenario would be perceived as someone with whom a person is forced to cooperate with because of serious problems, disorders or illness, and in the worst-case scenario would be seen as more harmful than helpful.…”