Acceptance of the “Mentally Ill” in Canadian Society: Reality and Illusion

Abstract

Recent research on community acceptance and rejection of persons believed to be present or former mental patients is reviewed, largely in a Canadian context. The evidence indicates generally that such persons appear to be accepted in some types of situations although the underlying image of the mentally ill has remained largely negative. In other types of situations, use of unobtrusive measures in research has shown that such persons face the likelihood of avoidance or rejection.