Stereotyping among providers and consumers of public mental health services - The role of perceived group variability

The authors examine stigmatization and mental illness, focusing on the role of perceived group variability in stereotype use. Consumers' and providers ' in-group and out-group stereotypes were assessed. Although providers had extensive experience, they judged consumers more stereotypically and just a s negatively as did the consumers themselves. Consumers' education and invo lvement in services were weakly predictive of more stereotypic, less variab le, and more negative views of providers, whereas providers' education and involvement in services predicted more stereotypic but also more variable v iews of both groups. Perceived group stereotypicality predicted more stereo typic judgments of individuals, whereas perceived variability predicted les s confidence in judgments. Because providers perceived greater variability, they were less confident in applying the stereotype to individuals. We sug gest that increasing perceptions of the variability among consumers may lea d to more sensitive use of diagnostic criteria, more individualized treatme nt, and a decrease in the negative effects of stigmatization.