Mc. Angermeyer et H. Matschinger, VIOLENT ATTACKS ON PUBLIC FIGURES BY PERSONS SUFFERING FROM PSYCHIATRIC-DISORDERS - THEIR EFFECT ON THE SOCIAL DISTANCE TOWARDS THE MENTALLY-ILL, European archives of psychiatry and clinical neuroscience, 245(3), 1995, pp. 159-164
In connection with two attempts on the lives of prominent politicians
committed by mentally ill individuals during 1990 there occurred a mar
ked increase in social distance towards the mentally ill among the Ger
man public. Even though the level of social distance subsided again du
ring the 2 years following the attacks, it had not yet completely retu
rned to its initial level by the end of 1992. The negative effects of
these incidents on the attitude of the general public were able to be
replicated on a regional level, after yet another violent attack by a
mentally ill assailant in 1993, this time on the life of a famous fema
le athlete.