This study aimed to investigate the effect of two main variables on specific attitudes and beliefs about mental illness. The first variable tested the labelling theory proposal that the label of mental illness per se is stigmatizing for those so labelled. The second tested the proposal of Rosenfield (1982) that males and females receive a more severe societal reaction for deviance when the deviant behaviour is inconsistent with traditional sex role norms. Questionnaires with vignettes describing four behaviour types were given to young adult respondents. The expected effect of a psychiatric diagnosis and of deviance from sex role stereotypes were not confirmed. It was concluded that while several variables combine to influence specific attitudes and beliefs about the mentally ill, the type of behaviour displayed is the crucial factor.

This study examined ways in which people from different occupational backgrounds in South Australia perceived issues relevant to the misuse of substances. Questionnaires were completed by representatives from eight occupational groups, namely, Doctors, Nurses, Ambulance Officers, Social Workers, Youth Workers, Teachers, the Police, and Probation and Parole Officers (in total, N = 276). Significant differences were found between occupational groups in their judgments of the relative incidence of substance misuse in the community, the comparative harmfulness of alcohol and marijuana, the attribution of alcohol misuse to personal inadequacy, and the efficacy of treatment of alcohol misuse.