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This study examined the relationships between ethnicity, conceptions of mental illness, and attitudes associated with seeking psychological help among school teachers. It was hypothesized that these variables are related and the relationships ate independent of other demographic variables. Participants were 513 school teachers (321 whites and 192 blacks). Each completed the Nunnally Conception of Mental Illness Questionnaire, the Fischer and Turner Pro-Con Attitude Scale, vignettes that elicited opinions on certain counseling issues, and a demographic data sheet. Analyses indicated significant differences between blacks and whites in their conceptions of mental illness; blacks' responses were more stereotypic, and whites' were closer to those of mental health professionals. Both blacks and whites had similar positive attitudes toward seeking psychological help. However, significantly more whites than blacks had actually been in therapy. Blacks showed more positive attitudes than whites toward mixed-race dyads in counseling but showed more negative attitudes concerning the efficacy of psychological treatment for certain problems. Conception of mental illness was significantly related to attitudes associated with seeking psychological help. Implications for research to address mental health problems of blacks is discussed.

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Instructions: Indicate the extent to which each item applies to you using the following scale: 1 = strongly disagree 2 = disagree 3 = neither disagree nor agree 4 = agree 5 = strongly agree _____ 1. I know when to speak about my personal problems to others. _____ 2. When I am faced with obstacles, I remember times I faced similar obstacles and overcame them. _____ 3. I expect that I will do well on most things I try. _____ 4. Other people find it easy to confide in me. _____ 5. I find it hard to understand the nonverbal messages of other people. _____ 6. Some of the major events of my life have led me to re-evaluate what is important and not important. _____ 7. When my mood changes, I see new possibilities. _____ 8. Emotions are some of the things that make my life worth living. _____ 9. I am aware of my emotions as I experience them. _____ 10. I expect good things to happen. _____ 11. I like to share my emotions with others. _____ 12. When I experience a positive emotion, I know how to make it last. _____ 13. I arrange events others enjoy. _____ 14. I seek out activities that make me happy. _____ 15. I am aware of the nonverbal messages I send to others. _____ 16. I present myself in a way that makes a good impression on others. _____ 17. When I am in a positive mood, solving problems is easy for me. _____ 18. By looking at their facial expressions, I recognize the emotions people are experiencing. _____ 19. I know why my emotions change. _____ 20. When I am in a positive mood, I am able to come up with new ideas. _____ 21. I have control over my emotions. _____ 22. I easily recognize my emotions as I experience them. _____ 23. I motivate myself by imagining a good outcome to tasks I take on. _____ 24. I compliment others when they have done something well. _____ 25. I am aware of the nonverbal messages other people send. _____ 26. When another person tells me about an important event in his or her life, I almost feel as though I have experienced this event myself. _____ 27. When I feel a change in emotions, I tend to come up with new ideas. _____ 28. When I am faced with a challenge, I give up because I believe I will fail. _____ 29. I know what other people are feeling just by looking at them. _____ 30. I help other people feel better when they are down. _____ 31. I use good moods to help myself keep trying in the face of obstacles. _____ 32. I can tell how people are feeling by listening to the tone of their voice. _____ 33. It is difficult for me to understand why people feel the way they do.