Continuum beliefs and the perception of similarities and differences to a person with depression

Abstract

Objective: Both continuum beliefs (i.e., that mental disorder exists on a spectrum of normative behavior patterns) and the perception of similarities to a person with schizophrenia have shown mixed effects on reducing mental illness stigma. To our knowledge, this is the first study to address continuum beliefs and the perception of similarities to a person with depression in the context of depression-related stigma.

Methods: This work is based on an online intervention study in an ethnically diverse sample recruited on Amazon MTurk including previously unanalyzed qualitive responses. Within this cross-sectional, mixed-methods online investigation (N = 304), we examined the relation of perceived similarities to continuum beliefs, social distance, and negative stereotypes in relation to a vignette about depression. A randomly assigned continuum beliefs intervention attempted to induce continuum beliefs about depression. An open-writing task asked participants to describe similarities and/or differences between themselves and the person depicted in the vignette.

Results: The continuum beliefs intervention was associated to a greater number of perceived similarities to and fewer perceived differences from the target vignette. Moreover, perceived similarities were associated with increased continuum beliefs, less social distance, and less-negative stereotypes. Perceived differences from a person with depression were associated with increased social distance.

Limitations: Even though the continuum beliefs intervention did not significantly alter stigma measures directly, expressed continuum beliefs were associated to decreased mental illness stigma.

Conclusions: The findings emphasize that perceived similarities to an outgroup member (i.e., a person with depression) might augment the stigma-reducing mechanism of continuum beliefs.

Keywords: Continuum beliefs; Depression; Negative stereotypes; Perception of similarities; Social distance; Stigma.