Summary
This investigation was specifically concerned with testing the hypothesis that social class differences exist among hospitalized mental patients in their perceptions of the etiology of their illness. Previous studies have reported that higher class patients usually visualize their illness int terms of subjective and interpersonal factors while patients in lower social classes primarily see objective and external causes. These conclusions, however, were based on data gathered on patients' attitudes toward etiology by indirect methodological techniques. In this study, by contrast, a direct method was employed. Patients were asked outright what they believe caused their illness and were permitted to respond in any manner.
The findings of this investigation indicate that social class isnot a determining factor of perception of mental illness for hospitalized patients. A few statistically significant relationships were observed, both in the general case and when control variables were used in the analysis, but the class differences were “unimpressive.” Two possible methodological deficiencies in our test were considered and examined empirically. Again, the data clearly suggest that social class differences do not exist.
Three interpretations for our failure to substantiate earlier reports are offered:
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1.
A methodological bias may have occurred in that previous investigators were dealing with indirect data.
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2.
Social class may no longer be an important factor for mental illness or perception as some studies have shown.
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3.
The process of hospitalization, whereby patients of all social classes are similarly resocialized and develop new conceptions of themselves, may produce a “leveling” effect and obscure class differences.
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Research Associate at the Institute of Regional Affairs.
Medical Director of the UCLA Neuropsychiatric Institute.
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Weinstein, R.M., Brill, N.Q. Social class and patients' perceptions of mental illness. Psych Quar 45, 35–44 (1971). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01574786
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01574786