Table 1.

Multivariate associations between demographic and other characteristics and conceptions of depression between mental health professionals and the general public

Characteristic	Mental health professionals (N=706–731)									2006 General Social Survey sample (N=325–397)
	Less competence			Perceived dangerousness			Desire for social distance			Less competence			Perceived dangerousness			Desire for social distance
	β	SE	p	β	SE	p	β	SE	p	β	SE	p	β	SE	p	β	SE	p
Age	.02	<.01	<.01	<.01	.01	ns	<.01	.01	ns	.01	<.01	.03	<.01	.01	ns	<.01	<.01	ns
Female (reference: male)	−.26	.09	<.01	−.33	.20	ns	−.14	.09	ns	−.02	.02	ns	−.27	.08	<.01	−.19	.05	ns
White (reference: nonwhite)	−.12	.10	ns	<.01	.22	ns	−.17	.10	ns	−.37	.34	ns	−.95	.53	ns	−.17	.19	ns
Education (reference: <bachelor’s degree)
Bachelor’s degree	−.34	.14	.02	−.65	.31	.04	−.36	.14	.01	<.01	.11	ns	−.45	.49	ns	.08	.17	ns
Advanced degree	−.47	.14	<.01	−1.08	.30	<.01	−.29	.14	.04	−.01	.09	ns	−.26	.08	<.01	−.23	.10	ns
Has a mental illness	−.20	.09	.03	−.53	.18	<.01	−.49	.09	<.01	—	—		—	—		—	—
Knows someone who has received mental health treatment	—	—		—	—		—	—		.16	.10	ns	−.04	.25	ns	−.15	.09	ns
Job title (reference: case manager)
Psychiatric nurse	−.48	.18	<.01	−.35	.37	ns	−.25	.18	ns	—	—		—	—		—	—
Therapist or psychologist	−.10	.11	ns	−.11	.23	ns	.06	.11	ns	—	—		—	—		—	—
Psychiatrist	−.72	.24	<.01	−.50	.52	ns	−.14	.24	ns	—	—		—	—		—	—
Program manager	−.28	.14	<.05	−.21	.29	ns	−.26	.14	ns	—	—		—	—		—	—
Other professional	−.12	.11	ns	−.13	.24	ns	−.19	.11	ns	—	—		—	—		—	—
Total years in mental health	−.02	<.01	.02	−.03	.01	.04	−.01	.01	ns	—	—		—	—		—	—