Do the Psychiatric Patients Reject Themselves?

Five statements measuring social distance from and prejudice against the ex-mentally ill were read to 137 psychiatric patients and relatives from urban background. Their agreement and disagreement with the five statements was analysed and compared with controls from an orthopaedic clinic.Maximum social distance was found on statements about establishing marital relationship with an ex-mental patient. The social distance was found less frequently in working in a mental hospital; sharing same house, falling in love and working with an ex-mental patient respectively. The psychiatric patients and their relatives are more rejecting than the controls.