Table 2.
Genetic Counselors’ Attitudes towards a Person with Schizophrenia:Social Distance
| For a person previously hospitalized with schizophrenia how likely would you be to: | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All respondents (n=135) Mean (SD) |
Group 1 (n=12) Mean (SD) |
Group 2 (n=73) Mean (SD) |
Group 3 (n=33) Mean (SD) |
Group 4 (n=17) Mean (SD) |
|
| Share an apartment with that person | 3.00 (0.622) | 2.64 (0.505) | 3.00 (0.559) | 3.07 (0.740) | 3.14 (0.663) |
| Work alongside that person | 1.72 (0.528) | 1.58 (0.515) | 1.75 (0.465) | 1.61 (0.496) | 1.88 (0.781) |
| Have that person as a neighbor | 1.64 (0.554) | 1.42 (0.515) | 1.64 (0.510) | 1.66 (0.653) | 1.76 (0.562) |
| Have that person as a babysitter for child | 3.38 (0.645) | 3.50 (0.527) | 3.22 (0.591) | 3.38 (0.677) | 3.25 (0.856) |
| Have one of your children marry that person | 2.58 (0.718) | 2.78 (0.667) | 2.49 (0.653) | 2.68 (0.852) | 2.67 (0.778) |
| Introduce that person to a friend as a relationship partner | 2.44 (0.636) | 2.55 (0.522) | 2.38 (0.580) | 2.55 (0.736) | 2.38 (0.768) |
| Recommend that person for a job | 1.97 (0.446) | 2.00 (0.447) | 1.94 (0.396) | 2.00 (0.471) | 2.07 (0.616) |
*
Higher scores indicate greater social distance and a more negative attitude. Items were scored on a 4-point Likert scale on which 1=definitely willing and 4=definitely unwilling. Counselors were placed into one of four groups based on experience with mental illness. Group 1 had a personal or family history of schizophrenia, Group 2 had a personal or family history of other mental illness; Group 3 had other mental illness experience but no personal or family history; and Group 4 did not have a personal or family history or other experience with mental illness.